The Royal New Zealand Air Force have shared photos of the dramatic rescue of a student who spent a night lost in Ruahine Forest Park.
The 17-year-old became separated from his group on Tuesday evening while on a school tramping trip.
Police and Land Search and Rescue volunteers immediately launched an extensive ground search in the Sunrise Hut area until the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Later that day, the RNZAF said that a crew which had been conducting mountain flying training in the area joined the search.
"The NH90 crew began their aerial search in the vicinity of Sunrise Hut. They searched tracks in that area along with Top Maropea Hut before conducting aerial searches along the Waipawa River Valley which is where they found the teenager," it said.
The crew then winched the student into the helicopter, taking him to safety, where he was then met by police and reunited with his family.
Despite spending a night out in the bush, Central Hawke's Bay Police Sergeant Neil Baker said the teen was a bit wet and cold but in "great condition".
"He was alert and talking to us. He was checked out by ambulance and has no injuries, so a very successful result," he said.
The RNZAF said its crew then flew out the search volunteers who had spend the night looking for the teenager on the ground.
Baker said the student's worried parents had arrived early in the morning and school staff had been at the park overnight helping with the search, "helping to fed the LandSAR people and the staff".
In a statement yesterday, Taradale high School said it was "thrilled" that the student was located and was with his parents.
"We want to say a huge thank you to the Police, Land Search and Rescue personnel, our staff and everyone else involved in the search," it said.
SHARE ME