Walkers urged to be prepared

POLICE are urging anyone venturing into the wilderness, whether for a day trip or longer, to always take enough food and equipment in case they inadvertently have to stay out longer than expected.

Senior Sergeant Jason McCoy, of Oamaru, made the call after a team from North Otago search and rescue found two missing tourists in Herbert Forest, south of Oamaru, about 8pm on Thursday night.

Snr Sgt McCoy said the 27yearold man and the 24yearold woman, both of Sweden, used a mobile phone to alert police to their predicament about 5pm after spending about three hours trying to walk out of the forest by themselves.

They had become lost on the paths, he said.

It has been reported by Fairfax the tourists wandered off their track when they tried to use their cellphone’s GPS system to navigate.

However, Snr Sgt McCoy could not confirm this or where in the forest the tourists went missing, as the incident report writer did not include that information in their handover.

Snr Sgt McCoy said the tourists were found in good health, but they had only water with them when found.

The North Otago Tramping and Mountaineering Club voluntarily maintains the tracks in the forest.

Club spokeswoman Jane Green said there were maps posted at the forest’s entry points and at the start of tracks.

‘‘We do our best to maintain the tracks for a safe and pleasurable experience,’’ she said

A spokesman from Blakely Pacific, the company which owns the forest, said the paths were all former Department of Conservation tracks.

shannon.gillies@odt.co.nz