Weeks in hut after partner’s death fall
A Czech tramper has been rescued after surviving for almost a month in a hut on the Routeburn Track after her partner died in a fall.
Otago Lakes Central area commander Inspector Olaf Jensen said the woman told police her partner fell down a steep slope on July 28 four days after starting the tramp. She managed to reach him but he died soon after.
The woman then made her way to a hut where she stayed until concerns were raised with police on Wednesday, Jensen said.
Police and a Land Search and Rescue ( SAR) team found the couple’s car in the carpark on Wednesday. It appeared to have been untouched for some time.
They then found the woman in a Department of Conservation warden’s hut about 1.30pm.
She was taken to hospital as a precaution and was understandably upset, but otherwise in good health.
‘‘This is a highly unusual case,’’ Jensen said. ‘‘It is very unusual for someone to be missing in the New Zealand bush for such a long period without it being reported.
‘‘I appreciate there are a number of unanswered questions, however, until we can piece together exactly what has happened we are unable to say anything further.’’ Jensen said police and SAR would return to the track on Thursday to find her companion, conditions permitting.
Police expected to speak to the woman later on Thursday and would work with her to establish exactly what happened, he said.
The woman was not injured, and was being looked after by a local, police said. It was under- stood the rescued woman did not speak any English and had a trans- lator with her while she spoke to police.
Otago Tramping and Mountaineering Club spokesman Ian Sime said it was ‘‘unbelievable’’ the woman could spend that long on the track unnoticed. There were five DOC huts on the track and two commercial huts – ‘‘but they would be locked’’.
‘‘She’d have to be in a DOC hut,’’ he said.
While the track was officially closed, anyone could still tramp through there.
He expected the couple had not filled in the intentions book, as a search would have started weeks ago if they had.
‘‘I don’t understand it. It doesn’t make sense to me.’’
Sime said it would be difficult to avoid being in contact with other trampers.
If the woman had been in contact with another tramper, someone would ‘‘surely’’ have raised the alarm, he said.
‘‘The Routeburn is not that dangerous. There are not really dangerous banks you could fall down.’’