The Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to the eastern Ruahine Ranges, north of Woodville, to search for a missing hunter who had become separated from companions.
Palmerston North Police Search and Rescue had concerns for the safety of the hunter and coordinated the search operation which required the Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter to be equipped with a NITESUN Search light, FLIR Camera and the crew wearing Night Vision Goggles.
The uninjured missing man, in his 20’s, was able to signal to the searching crew with a torch and was then hover-loaded into the helicopter and recovered to a nearby road-end just before midnight.