Women rescued from mountain

FILE

Two Hamilton women and a teenage girl were rescued from Mt Tauhara near Taupo last night after becoming lost in low cloud.

Taupo police senior constable Barry Shepherd said two sisters, aged 14 and 32, and their 56-year-old mother, left their car in the car park at the end of Mountain Rd at 1.30pm and got to the top of the mountain soon after 4pm.

"Just after arriving at the summit the cloud rolled in, they lost their way and could not find their way back to the track.

"The youngest fainted and lost consciousness for a while. Half an hour later the trio called police for help," Mr Shepherd said.

By 6pm a Taupo Land Search and Rescue team with a search dog was heading for the mountain top. The missing trio was found just after 7pm, on the rocks south of the summit.

All three women were wet, cold and anxious, so were given some food, warm drinks and dry clothing. Within half an hour the search team had prepared them for the hike down the track and they were escorted down in the dark.

Another search team met them half way down.

Mr Shepard said the women were not well dressed for the trip, during which they encountered rain, hail and cold winds.

The youngest of the three had discarded her shoes half way up the mountain and she was in bare feet and shorts when found. Her fainting was attributed to a pre-existing medical condition.

The trio is now on their way back to Hamilton, after receiving assistance from St John, Victim Support and police.