The area where the group was stranded had up to 20cms of snow overnight (What's on Invers)
Thirty-eight people who were stranded on an off-road track in Southland overnight have reached safety in Roxburgh, where a command centre is set up and Red Cross, Civil Defence and St John ambulance met them.
Rescuers in snowcats reached the group stranded on Waikaia Bush Rd this afternoon. The group, including children aged six and eight, were trapped in 13 vehicles along the road above Piano Flat, between Queenstown and Dunedin.
Police were notified shortly before 6:30pm yesterday evening the group had become stranded due to bad weather conditions and vehicle breakdowns. The road is public and often used for four-wheel driving. It is deeply rutted and goes through swamp areas.
All members of the group are safe and well, Otago Lakes-Central area commander Inspector Olaf Jensen said.
The group were moved to a point below the snowline in snowcats, then transferred to 4WD vehicles before being taken to Roxburgh.
One of the vehicles stuck in the snow on Waikaia Bush Rd (What's on Invers)
Twenty-three volunteers and Search and Rescue personnel worked on the rescue. Insp Jensen said weather was severe and the snowcats had to come through "trying" conditions.
Earlier rescue attempts by the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust and the New Zealand Defence Force NH90 helicopter were hampered by the weather.
The group was on top of the Old Man Range, which had experienced significant snowfall overnight. The 4WD rescue team only made it a third of the way up today before coming across snow drifts 1.8m, Insp Jensen said.
The group had food and sheltered in their vehicles for more than 20 hours. The Waikaia Bush Rd is due to be closed for the winter on Queen's Birthday Weekend.
"It's been a major operation and we're quite pleased with the successful outcome," Insp Jensen said.
Charles Cockery, father of Daniel Cockery stranded in the group, has been in contact with his son throughout the ordeal. Mr Cockery said his son is with friends and feeling "pretty good".
He said weather conditions were rough and temperatures reached -10degC overnight.
Despite his son going hunting often and being familiar with the outdoors, Mr Cockery said he still had a relatively sleepless night worrying about him.
Newshub.
