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