KEY POINTS:
Three trampers stranded in Arthurs Pass National Park by a swollen river cannot pay for their own flight out because their situation is not considered an emergency.
The trio, including well-known outdoorsman Kerry Suter, have been trapped for three days at remote Barker Hut, the highest in the park, after heavy weekend rain swelled the nearby White River.
They are not injured but are beginning to run out of food.
The men contacted the Canterbury Mountain Radio Service yesterday morning, requesting that a helicopter collect them, and offering to pay the $1300 cost.
However, the Department of Conservation (DOC) bans commercial helicopters from landing in the park apart from in cases of medical emergency, so their request was turned down.
"It's ridiculous. We may now have to take risks and very serious risks to get ourselves out of here," one of the trampers told The Press over the hut's VHF radio.
Paul White, from the Canterbury Mountain Radio Service, slammed the decision to deny helicopter access.
"The river will be higher tomorrow and DOC just haven't considered how dangerous it will be. It's a joke."
Arthurs Pass DOC field centre supervisor Wayne Costello said the trampers were "best just to sit tight in the hut" .
Trampers in remote areas should always plan to take extra rations, he said.
- NZPA
