Missing New Zealand hikers found after 18 days
May 27, 2020
Two missing hikers were found alive on Wednesday after surviving for 18 days in the New Zealand wilderness, police officials have confirmed.
Jessica O'Connor and Dion Reynolds were rescued by a military helicopter on Wednesday after the crew spotted smoke from a fire the hikers had lit.
"This is a fantastic outcome and one that we were all hoping for, although we were becoming increasingly concerned as the days progressed,"police area commander Paul Borrell said in a statement.
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Lost in the fog
O'Connor and Reynolds, both 23, had set out on a five-day hike in New Zealand's sprawling Kahurangi National Park on May 9, according to police reports.
The pair became lost in the fog within the first few days of their trip. They then ran out of food and chose to shelter in place.
When they failed to return as planned, police and volunteers launched a search operation on Tuesday, May 19. The rescue crew included five tracking experts, three search dog teams, and two helicopter crews.
Bad weather on Monday impaired the search in the remote and rugged area and increased concerns about the pair's safety.
Search efforts resumed Wednesday morning with the New Zealand Defence Force flying in six teams, the police said.
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Last seen in good spirits
After they were found, O'Connor and Dion were brought by rescue helicopter to Nelson Airport, St. John ambulance spokesperson Ngaire Jones said, where medics found them to have only minor injuries. From there, the pair were taken to Nelson Hospital, Jones said.
Another hiker told news organizations the pair had previously paused at her campsite before carrying on with their hike. Hiker Heather Simpson said they seemed well and to be enjoying their trip. The hikers told her they had enough food for several days and that they planned to ration it to make it last longer, she said.
Kahurangi National Park spans over 450,000 hectares (1.1 million ares) and is New Zealand's second-largest national park. Some areas have no trails. Parts of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy were shot at the park.
kp/aw (AP, dpa)
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