Ill-prepared 'O Week' rafters spark major search

As an alternative to Orientation Week, a pair of ill-prepared students decided to float down the Taieri River on a homemade raft, sparking a major search and rescue operation.

More than 40 personnel were involved in the search, after the 22-year-olds were reported overdue to Dunedin police at 9.30pm on Wednesday.

The pair, who left Hindon at 10.30am on a raft made from plywood and inner tubes, were found still floating along the river shortly after 3am.

While the pair were "strong and fit" and experienced surfers, they did not have lifejackets.

Only one was wearing a wetsuit, and the other was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt.

Search and Rescue incident controller Constable Don Peat, of Mosgiel, said the pair had never been on the river and did not have river experience. They had researched the area via the internet and books.

"Basically, they didn't want to take part in 'O-Week' celebrations and they wanted to do something a little bit different."

The pair expected the trip - from Hindon to Outram Glen - to take six hours, "but unfortunately it took them closer to 16 hours".

Const Peat said the river was hard enough to negotiate in daylight let alone the dark. The water rescue squad was on stand-by in case the pair were still missing at daybreak.

"The saving grace was that they walked the section of rapids ... if they tried to run that, they would have got in a lot of danger."

At 3am, a ground team located the pair floating down the Taieri River and a police patrol talked to the "sheepish pair" half an hour later.

"They said they weren't cold as they were so busy trying to get their raft down the river. They were a little bit embarrassed by all the fuss, I suppose. But that foolishness can kill a lot of people."

Const Peat said he was relieved the men were fine and praised their friend who took the correct action by reporting them overdue.

Const Peat praised the volunteers from land and water rescue who assisted in the search.