Hiker’s sweets keep her going

Teen safe after day walk ends in 2 nights on mountain

AGerman teen lost on Mt Taranaki for two nights survived on a packet of sweets. Department of Conservation worker counting blue ducks (whio) stumbled across the missing 19-year-old about 10.30am yesterday.

The woman had set off on what she thought was a twoor three-hour walk on Monday but had followed a wrong track and had become disoriented in thick bush.

Taranaki police area commander Inspector Keith Borrell yesterday said the teen had only had a bottle of water and a packet of Skittles.

“She had a drink bottle which she’s lost at some stage and she’s survived on a packet of Skittles,” Borrell said.

“The longer the search went on, the more concerned we were getting because she wasn’t prepared, equipmentwise, to stay a night out in the bush.”

The Air Force helped the

She wasn’t prepared, equipment-wise, to stay a night out in the bush. Inspector Keith Borrell

search yesterday, sending a NH90 helicopter and its crew from Ohakea.

About 40 people, including Palmerston North and Whanganui police, DoC staff, Search and Rescue, the Air Force and other volunteers had been involved in the search centred around the North Egmont Visitors Centre.

Weather had been windy, with low cloud and temperatures down to about 5C.

A friend had been waiting for the woman at the car park.

When she learned yesterday that her friend had been found safe and well, she told police it was “the best day of my life”.

The rescued tramper is “tired and a little bit dehydrated but otherwise her spirits are high”, Borrell said.

“She’s walking around in a pretty good state of health considering she’s spent three days in the bush.”

The German visitor’s parents have been informed of the good news by text, Borrell said.

Borrell said searchers were “jumping around pretty excited” when she was found.

“The whole aim of the search is to find missing parties safe and well.”

Police would do a “full debrief” with her later and find out how she survived.

“The biggest thing for us, is that if you go, for even a short walk within this national park, is that you tell someone of your intentions,” Borrell said.

“This is what she didn’t do on this occasion. If she’d gone up to the visitor centre and written in the intentions book where she was going to walk, it would’ve given us a better clue of where she was once she went missing.”