Source: New Zealand Police
An early morning walk turned into a rescue operation after a woman became lost in Piha bush yesterday.
At around 11am, Police received a call from a walker advising she was stuck in dense bush and unable to make her way out.
Exhausted and unsure of her exact location, the woman had been walking for three hours and was surrounded by undergrowth up to her neck.
Waitematā West Area Response Manager, Senior Sergeant Jon Winthrop says GPS showed the woman was near Marine Parade South, but access to the area had been washed out in a previous slip.
“The Police Eagle Helicopter was deployed, and air assesments indicated the terrain would make it difficult for ground staff to reach the woman.
“As crews set off, Eagle dropped a Tactical Flight Officer into a less hazardous area of bush.”
Directed from the air by Eagle, the officer was able to tramp further into the bush and locate the woman.
The pair began the trek out and were soon met by ground staff tramping in from Piha Road. The group safely made their way out of the bush.
Despite being exhausted, the woman was in good spirits and was returned home by staff.
“This rescue highlights the importance of being adequately prepared before setting off on a walk.
“Ensure you stick to trails, advise other people of your plans, and have enough food and water for your journey,” Senior Sergeant Winthrop says.
ENDS.
Frankie Le Roy/NZ Police
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/20/eagle-swoops-in-to-rescue-woman-lost-in-bush/