<\/p>\n
\nThe men were grateful to see rescuers, but it was an uncomfortably close call, police said.
\nPhoto: Supplied \/ NZ Police\n<\/p>\n
Police are reminding people of the importance of personal locator beacons after three men endured a cold, wet night in a gorge.<\/p>\n
Wellington District Search and Rescue coordinator Sergeant Jonathan Westrupp said the trio had planned to float down the Hutt River in the Kaitoke Regional Park.<\/p>\n
They set out late on Monday, travelling down river on inner tubes wearing only light clothing.<\/p>\n
They soon found themselves trapped in a gorge with impassable cliffs on both sides as darkness descended, and were initially without signal, police said.<\/p>\n
Eventually, the men were able to get a “glimmer of cell phone reception”, and called for help at about 7.30pm.<\/p>\n
Police coordinated a search and rescue operation as the weather worsened, Westrupp said.<\/p>\n
“A New Zealand Defence Force NH90 helicopter was sent, but it couldn’t get to them due to low cloud and rain setting in.”<\/p>\n
At about 3am Tuesday, Land Search and Rescue reached the men, and provided them with much-needed shelter clothing and food, he said.<\/p>\n
“At first light, with the aid of Wellington Rafting, we were able to get them out of there.”<\/p>\n
The men were grateful to see rescuers, but it was an uncomfortably close call, police said.<\/p>\n
“They were on the verge of not being able to contact anyone.<\/p>\n
“If they hadn’t managed to find a scrap of cell phone coverage in the gorge it could have been a very different Christmas for them and their families.”<\/p>\n
It was a reminder that people heading off on adventures this summer needed to be prepared for any eventuality, Westrupp said.<\/p>\n
“PLBs are cheap to hire, and they’re capable of saving your life, even when there’s no cell phone reception.”<\/p>\n