Missing Czech tourist found alive after a month in New Zealand wilderness

WELLINGTON: A Czech woman who was lost in a remote area of New Zealand’s South Island for four weeks after her partner died in an accident has been found alive, New Zealand Police said yesterday.

The two Czech tourists had set out to hike the mountainous 32-kilometre Routeburn Track in the lower South Island and had not been heard from since late July, China’s Xinhua news agency reported Otago Lakes Central Area Commander Olaf Jensen as saying.

Concerns were raised with police only on Wednesday morning that the couple’s car at the track’s carpark appeared to have been untouched for a period.

Searchers in a helicopter later found the woman in a Department of Conservation warden’s hut.

She told police they had entered the track on July 24 and her partner fell down a steep slope on July 28.

“She managed to reach him, however, it’s believed he died not long after,” Jensen said in a statement.

“She then made her way to a hut where she has been since early August.”

The woman had been taken to hospital for assessment and was in good health, although she was understandably upset. Police and rescue teams were still searching for her companion’s body.

“It’s very unusual for someone to be missing in the New Zealand bush for such a long period without it being reported,” said Jensen.

Department of Conservation Wakatipu operations manager Geoff Owen said in a statement that the Routeburn Track was open during the southern winter, but there were significant hazards because of the winter weather conditions, avalanche risk and reduced facilities. — Bernama