Search and Rescue teams battle harsh conditions to rescue two hikers stuck on a ridgeline of the Tararua Range. Photo / NZ Police
Two people have been rescued from the Tararua Range after they were forced off the track by extreme winds.
The pair were out walking on Monday afternoon when the weather turned and forced them to activate their emergency locator beacon near Girdlestone, west of Masterton.
Search and Rescue groups from Wellington, Wairarapa and Horowhenua responded as well as a Royal New Zealand Air Force helicopter.
The two hikers were winched from a ridgeline above waterfalls at 5pm.
Sergeant Tony Matheson said the rescue was a timely reminder to make sure people had an emergency locator beacon on them.
“Beacons are a lifesaving tool which allows rescue teams to respond to your location as soon as possible.
“The beacon was a significant factor in their rescue – but they were also well-equipped. This is essential to ensure survivability when visiting wilderness areas where the weather can be more extreme.”
The conditions in the Tararua Range can change quickly and become severe. They are the third most searched conservation area for Search and Rescue, behind Tongariro and Fiordland.
There have been 21 tramping deaths in the range since 1970, the most recent being Terrence Ivan Elliot, who died in January 2023.
Vita Molyneux is a Wellington-based journalist who covers breaking news and stories from the capital. She has been a journalist since 2018 and joined the Herald in 2021.
The 19-year-old disappeared without her wallet or mobile phone.