Nelson tramper Philip Young in stable condition after two-day bush ordeal

Sunday, 19 May 2019

Police and search teams have been called to locate the whereabouts of two trampers in the Mt Richmond Forest Park, near Nelson this week.

Missing tramper Philip Young was recovering in hospital after he was found 'cold', 'but alive' almost two days after going missing in bush between Nelson and Blenheim

Young was reported missing after he got ahead of the rest of his tramping group on Thursday afternoon while walking near the Devils Creek Hut area on the Wakamarina Track.

Despite challenges in relation to weather and some difficult terrain, the missing man was eventually found 'cold, wet, but alive' by ground crews on Saturday morning around 10:45am.

He was winched out of the park from Derelict Hut and taken to Nelson Hospital.

* LandSAR teams search for missing Nelson man

* BBQ burns and tramper fatigue keep Nelson-Marlborough rescue helicopter busy**

A Nelson Hospital spokeswoman said the 65-year-old was in a stable condition on Sunday.

Search and support teams from LandSAR Marlborough, Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Marlborough, Nelson Search and Rescue, a specialist Nelson canyoning group, the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter, Precision Helicopters and Blenheim Police search and rescue members, had looked for Young.

Police thanked the public for their response to an appeal for information.

Meanwhile, Nelson police have made contact with an American tourist who had failed to return from a tramping excursion in the Mt Richmond Forest Park.

Nathan Cross was believed to be walking the tracks from the Hackett Car Park in the Aniseed Valley, south-east of Nelson

He had set out on Tuesday and was due out on Friday but had not made contact with his friends.

A search was being organised on Sunday. However, a police spokeswoman said Cross had got in touch to indicate he was safe and would find his own way back to the car park.

'We are yet to see him, but he has let us know he is alright.'