A woman has been plucked from the banks of the swollen Haast River by a swift water rescue team.
The rescue took place this afternoon after 24 hours of heavy rain fell in the Mount Aspiring National Park leaving the woman stranded in terrible conditions.
Wanaka's swift water rescue team deployed on Saturday afternoon to the aid of a tramper who'd become stranded on the far side of the raging torrent.
"Some passing motorists saw her waving out and contacted us so we've come up with our Wanaka river rescue team and successfully extracted her," Alan Lee of the Wanaka police told Newshub.
The woman had hiked up to the Brewster Hut - a popular six to eight-hour tramp from the Fantail Falls
But when she returned to her car she found the now swollen Haast River lying between her and the carpark.
"She made some really good calls making sure she didn't risk it. Our rivers are pretty notorious and can change at a moments notice," said Luke Faed from Wanaka Search and Rescue.
Safe and well now and back on dry land. With more rain heavy expected in the area, the woman is probably also very grateful to her rescuers.
