Rescued Taupo Hunter finds himself trapped on a bluff
On Wednesday night Taupo Police alerted the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter that they had received a call from an Auckland
man who was stuck on a steep bluff in bush near the Waiotaka River in the Kaimanawa Forest Park. The man was returning
to camp after a day hunting when he became bluffed and could not move. He was in such a precarious position he activated
his Personal Locator Beacon. The Taupo based Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was used to find him and fly LandSAR teams from
Turangi and Taupo to the hunters camp. They negotiated their way down river in the dark, and then climbed through bush
to get to him. He was extracted from the bluff and they all walked back to his campsite to be reunited with his hunting
companions by 2 o’clock Thursday morning. Police have commended the hunter for carrying his PLB in the front pocket of
his jacket. If he’d been carrying it in his backpack he would not have been able to activate it because of his
precarious position.
Pilot Nat Every commended the mans hunting companions for their exceptionally well brewed coffee, and stash of lollies
which was unexpected surprise, but much appreciated in the wee hours of Thursday morning.
ENDS