The two were rescued from a national park in New Zealand on April 10 after one of the climbers sent "SOS satellite text messages" to his brother
Credit: Southern District Police Facebook
NEED TO KNOW
- Two climbers survived three nights on a mountainside in a national park in New Zealand amid extreme weather
- Rescue efforts were delayed by heavy rain and low clouds
- A brother of one of the climbers told police he received “Emergency SOS satellite text messages” from his sibling
Two climbers have been rescued after spending three nights trapped on a mountain in New Zealand.
On Friday, April 10, the New Zealand Police thanked rescue staff for safely retrieving the stranded pair “from a precarious mountainside near Sabre Peak in Fiordland National Park" on the country's South Island.
Authorities said in a press release that a personal locator beacon (PLB)was enabled in the area of Sabre Peak at around 4:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday.
A helicopter was dispatched, but heavy rain and low cloud initially put a halt to search efforts.
Credit: Getty
“The Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) passed information to Police so they could launch a search and rescue operation,” per the release.
The brother of one of the climbers contacted the police on Thursday morning, telling them that his brother had sent him "Emergency SOS satellite text messages" during his climb.
"The messages confirmed both of the experienced climbers were uninjured, but unable to move due to the severe weather," per the release.
Officials then tried to launch another rescue mission later that day, but the weather conditions once again put a stop to their efforts.
In a statement in the release, Southland Search and Rescue Coordinator Dougall Henderson said police remained in communication with the climbers using a satellite as they carried out their successful rescue on Friday.
“About 7:00 a.m. today, the Southern Lakes Helicopter crew successfully located the climbers and carried out a 100 foot long line extraction from the mountainside,” he said.
Credit: Southern District Police Facebook
“Their survival is remarkable. They had been stranded on the steep mountainside for three nights, sheltering in a two-person bivvy and sleeping bags, which became saturated during prolonged exposure to severe weather,” Henderson added.
The official went on to say that the climbers had run out of food and “believed they would not have survived another night on the mountain.”
A doctor on the helicopter assessed the climbers before they were taken to the town of Te Anau, just over 100 miles from Queenstown, for further medical evaluation.
“The climbers made the right decision to activate their beacon early and remain in place once the weather deteriorated,” Sergeant Henderson said.
“They were well equipped and they communicated clearly using satellite messaging, and that allowed rescuers to make informed decisions while waiting for a safe weather window,” he added.
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Henderson also praised the helicopter crew, describing the conditions that they were operating in as “extreme and unforgiving alpine environment.”
Sergeant Henderson went on to urge the public to “plan conservatively” when going to remote areas, adding that “appropriate emergency equipment – including a PLB or satellite communication device, or both,” must always be carried.
Police also advised people to tell a trusted person about their travel plans and to prepare for delays “if conditions deteriorate.”
PEOPLE has reached out to the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) for comment.
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