Rescued tourist — ‘Never hike alone’
A personal locator beacon proved a potential lifesaver for a young Belgian man who became lost near Mt Tongariro.
Two weeks ago, the Belgian teenager, 18, known as Mathieu, intended hiking the Tongariro Northern Circuit in 10 hours nonstop. He set out at 6.30am on the poled route and things were going well until he reached the Oturere Valley at noon.
“The poles were 20m apart. Then suddenly there were no people. It was my fault.”
He spent two hours of “endless walking” to try and self-rescue, but at 2pm it was clear he was lost and he activated his Garmin inReach SOS beacon. The beacon triggered an alert at the International Emergency Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Texas. The information was passed to the Rescue Coordination Centre of NZ, and then to Taupo¯ Police.
Senior Constable Barry Shepherd said the helicopter rescue crew found Mathieu relatively easily, despite him blending well with his surroundings, thanks to the GPS location received from his beacon.
“Despite being very thirsty — he guzzled a bottle of water rescuers gave him — he was in good shape,” said Mr Shepherd.
Mathieu was loaned the Garmin satellite phone by friends of his parents, and his parents pay a subscription costing the Belgian equivalent of NZ$40 per month. Features include a messaging service for areas without cellphone reception, a satellite phone, maps and an emergency button.
He’s never used and was not carrying a map or a compass. Mathieu says the phone maps were not helpful.
“They did not know things, like the volcanoes. It was directing me to really dangerous places.”
The Department of Conservation website describes the walk as a three to four-day tramp, but Mathieu says his plan to complete the Tongariro Northern Circuit in one day although ambitious, was achievable.
“In Belgium we like to overcome limits. Young people can do that.”
Mr Shepherd supported hikers carrying a PLB.
“Because this young man had activated a beacon, we knew exactly where he was and were able to reach him quickly and easily.”
Mathieu was taken back to where he started at Whakapapa Village. He says the helicopter crew of three were kind to him and he thanked them for rescuing him.
He was about to embark on the Abel Tasman Track when he spoke to the Taupo¯ & Tu¯ rangi Weekender this week.
“The thing I have learnt is, when you are hiking, don’t count on nature. Anything can happen. And never go alone!”