14 Apr 2009

Trampers ill-prepared for walk in forest park - police

5:01 am on 14 April 2009

Police in Wellington say two women trampers who had to be rescued from the Rimutaka Forest Park on Monday night were ill-equipped and under-prepared.

The women, both 23, were found by a police team after sending text messages to alert a family member that they were lost.

They had been on an unplanned day walk without wet weather gear or torches, and the police say they lacked sufficient experience.

The women were brought out of the area at about 11pm, five hours after they sought help.