Latest fromSearch and Rescue

7.8 quake: Only minutes to grab worldly possessions
Residents of Collina Terrace in Central Wellington have been allowed to briefly return to their houses to collect essential possessions.

Woman rescued after being trapped on cliff
A young woman was winched by helicopter after rising tides trapped her on a cliff at Kawakawa Bay, south east of Auckland.

Whakatane men found 'bobbing' in sea
Two fishermen spend hours in the water and are rescued by the last boat crossing the Whakatane bar.

What now for quake cows? Here's an idea
Two cattle and a calf which survived yesterday's earthquake should be allowed to retire and live out their days in a sanctuary, animal rights group Peta says.

Truckie who escaped slip not in dog box
The truck driver who narrowly escaped being buried in the quake won't be in the dog box for calling his boss before his partner.

Richie McCaw rescues stranded tourists
Richie McCaw, who has been airlifting stranded tourists out of Kaikoura, says the devastation from the air looks "pretty crazy".

Search on for Clarence River kayakers
A search is underway for six kayakers after kayaks and other gear was found abandoned on the flooded Clarence River just before 5pm. A

Finding missing fishermen 'satisfying'
Three fishermen missing at sea for more than a week have been found alive by the RNZAF.

Tramper walks out of bush during search
About 30 police and Far North search and rescue volunteers and helicopter support scoured a Northland bush track for a missing tramper

Marathon trek for rescue chopper
The Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter gave Daniel Lee a second chance at life and now he wants others to be able to get that opportunity

Watch: Man climbs building with bare hands to save child
Source: CCTV News. Liang Lee didn't stop for a second to worry about his own life as he scaled several floors of apartment block to rescue a small dangling boy after his head became wedged in the window bars

Survival story told with tattoos
An American tramper who survived four nights in the Kiwi wilderness with her mother has had a lasting memory of the near-tragedy inked on her body.

Kiwi to help train Syrian White Helmets
A Kiwi firefighter will help train Syria's 'White Helmet' civil defence workers who help in the aftermath of missile strikes and attacks.

Labour Weekend no holiday for rescuers
Trampers in trouble kept rescuers busy over Labour Weekend - but most had done the right thing.

Third Queenstown rescue within a week
A search and rescue operation just outside Arrowtown yesterday was the third in the wider Queenstown area within a week.

Kayaker rescued by good Samaritan
A kayaker fishing off the Waitara River owes his life to a Scottish man who went out to find him after the kayaker's friends noticed he was missing.

Hypothermia after cold, wet night in bush
A mother and her sons are being treated for hypothermia after a "miserable night" in cold, wet conditions in the Tararua Range.

Mystery solved: Teary mum breaks down
It is a case that has captivated the world for more than two decades. A top cop believes he finally knows what happened to missing toddler Ben Needham.

'He's a fly-boy, a hero, a Kiwi legend'
John Funnell was the search-and-rescue pilot who has saved the lives of thousands of victims, clocking up a staggering 19,000 hours of flight time.

Police search teams to revisit cold case
Police search teams are dusting off a 25-year-old missing person case in a bid to test their new gear.

Daredevil pilot's 50 years of saving lives
Legendary Kiwi pilot John Funnell opens up on his 50-year career flying search and rescue helicopters in a new book.

Search and rescue: Saving people's lives
If you find yourself disoriented in the bush, local volunteers are ready to help.

Watch NZH Local Focus: Renegade yachtie apologetic
Banned from sailing further until authorities deem him safe to travel, renegade South African yachtie, is apologetic for the inconvenience he has caused everyone involved. made with funding from NZ on Air

'I can't believe I'm alive,' says kayaker
Four Queenstown men are lucky to be alive after their kayaks overturned and they were swept out to sea off the Otago coast.

Man safe after being stranded in Levin river
Man was convinced by a family member to abandon his bike in the river and make his way to safety.

Kiwi aids in bloody shark attack rescue
A New Zealander holiday-maker rushed to the aid of a woman being viciously attacked by a shark off the coast of Hawaii.

'We had about five ways to die'
A Kiwi sailor has penned a book on his terrifying near-death experience as his boat caught fire.

Stranded trampers rescued from hut
With river levels rising, three women at the Thor Hut in the Kahurangi National Park were rescued by helicopter.

'Scary' fall for boy who slipped from lift
Skifield bosses have vowed to increase warnings to skiers after a boy was left dangling from a chairlift.