18 Jun 2023

Hiker rescued after Arthur's Pass mudslide

4:25 pm on 18 June 2023
Otira Viaduct, State Highway 73, via Arthurs Pass.

Arthur's Pass. (File photo) Photo: 123RF

Wet and windy weather made a difficult job for Alpine Cliff Rescue staff this morning as they freed a man caught in a mudslide on Arthur's Pass with his leg trapped in a rock.

The weather meant a rescue helicopter was unable to get to the man's exact location, but dropped off its team a 45-minute walk away from where he was trapped.

The Rescue Coordination centre said it did not currently have an update on the man's condition.

It said the incident shows the importance of carrying a beacon, as it meant the man was able to be rescued.