US students survive for 9 days in New Zealand wilderness by warming in hot springs

The couple’s ordeal began June 1 when friend Katie Jenkins, another UW
student, dropped them off at a national park on the South Island’s West
Coast so they could hike in and camp for a few days.

“They were just going to the hot springs, to chill out and study for
finals,” Miss Jenkins said, adding that she continued on with her own
travels and didn’t realize the couple were missing until eight days had
passed, which is when she raised the alarm.

The couple did not take much food – some carrots, rice, peanut butter and
trail mix, according to Police Sgt. Sean Judd, who coordinated rescue
attempts. He said that after three days, a steady rain started.

“Then on Wednesday the snowstorm hit and it got progressively worse,”
Sgt Judd said.

Mr Brown said that soaking in the hot pools “helped keep us warm and slow
energy loss.”

It was not until Sunday, Mr Brown said, that the river finally seemed safe
enough to cross again. He and Miss Klintworth prepared for their hike out by
cooking up a “good meal” of rice, marshmallows, peanut butter and
chocolate, he said.

“We then left and crossed the icy waters only up to our waist,” he
said. “We were climbing the mountains under the dense tree cover when
we first heard the helicopter we assumed was looking for us. The copter
never saw us and we walked out just fine and met up with the search and
rescue by the road.”

Source: AP

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