26/08/2026
🚁🌙 A rescue that could have ended very differently.
A couple of weeks ago, deep in the rugged Tararua Ranges, two trampers found themselves stranded on an exposed ridgeline after becoming lost in remote alpine terrain as darkness fell.
With temperatures dropping, no shelter available, and exhaustion setting in, they made the critical decision to activate their Personal Locator Beacon (PLB).
Tasked by Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand CNZ, our rescue helicopter crew launched into the night, using Night Vision Goggles to search the remote mountain range before locating the pair at around 4,000 feet.
Unable to land, the aircraft held a precision hover while a critical care flight paramedic was winched down to reach the stranded trampers. Found huddled in sleeping bags, conserving precious body heat in freezing conditions, both were assessed, prepared for extraction, and safely winched into the helicopter before being flown to safety.
This mission highlights the specialist skills, advanced technology, and teamwork required to rescue people from some of New Zealand's most challenging environments.
It also serves as an important reminder: if you're heading into remote areas, carry a PLB and don't wait too long to use it.
In this case, that decision likely saved two lives.
🚁 We are proud of the crews who stand ready, day and night, to respond when New Zealanders need them most.
Image from night winch training
