Thread: Search And Rescue

"Hunter rescued in Hawke's Bay"

A 62-year-old Hawke’s Bay man has been rescued from the Kuripapango area of the Kaweka Ranges today after failing to return from a hunt yesterday.

Police were alerted to the overdue hunter at 9.30pm last night and a search and rescue operation was launched at first light this morning.

The search operation involved Police, LANDSAR volunteers and the Hawke’s Bay Helicopter Rescue Trust.

The missing hunter was found by search teams at around midday today by the Ngaruroro River and airlifted out.

The hunter was tired and had suffered a minor leg injury but was otherwise unharmed.

“The hunter did everything right after finding himself trapped by dangerously high river levels. He stayed put and didn’t try and cross the river as he understood the risk that it presented. said Detective Senior Sergeant Martin James

Detective Senior Sergeant James says one thing the hunter could have done to help with the rescue was to have an EPIRB with him and then he may have been located last night.

Police would like to thanks the LANDSAR volunteers and The Hawke’s Bay Helicopter Rescue Trust for their expertise and support of the operation.

ENDS