Three tourists who spent the night stranded in the Ailsa mountain range in Fiordland National Park have been rescued.
Otago Lakes-Central area commander Inspector Olaf Jensen, of Queenstown, said the women used a mountain radio to contact authorities about 10pm last night when the weather deteriorated in the Emily Pass area.
A helicopter was initially deployed but could not reach the walking party, who were on an unformed track commonly used by trampers, due to low cloud and strong winds.
However, a chopper managed to drop two LandSAR members nearby, who then walked the cold trio to a sheltered rocky outcrop area and stayed with them overnight.
The LandSAR pair had extra clothes to keep the women warm.
Police confirmed at 7.40am today the weather cleared enough for a helicopter to fly to the scene and rescue the women, who were all overseas visitors in their late 20s.
The trio were flown, safe and well, to the Glenorchy end of the Routeburn track.
Jensen said the women were not lost or disorientated but became stranded due to bad weather and lack of daylight.
He praised them for having a radio but was expecting to speak to the trio later today about what can be learned from the situation and being more prepared.
"Any rescue like this at night is a high-risk undertaking and more so given the weather conditions.''
None of the women needed medical attention.
The Ailsa range is bordered by the Greenstone and Caples rivers.
- Mandy Cooper
