40+ Rescued After NZ Gorge Collapse Shows Teams in Action

Everyone made it out safely. That's the remarkable outcome after more than 40 people became trapped in New Zealand's Waioeka Gorge when flooding and landslides blocked the only road out Friday night.

Karl Butler watched a hillside completely collapse around 1:30pm, cutting off escape routes. But instead of panic, he saw a community mobilize to help strangers in need.

A local family offered Butler their wifi so he could contact rescuers. Private helicopter pilots arrived within hours, working alongside the Royal New Zealand Air Force to airlift every single person to safety by midnight.

Butler's group paid $375 each for a private helicopter, a price he called "quite acceptable" given the circumstances. The pilot had initially been checking power lines but immediately offered to return for stranded motorists.

Senior Sergeant Bill Fisher coordinated the complex rescue from the ground. By Saturday morning, the last eight people at remote properties had been safely evacuated, with no injuries reported.

The Bright Side

The rescue showcased how quickly New Zealand's emergency network can deploy when needed. Helicopter pilots, Defense Force crews, local councils, police search and rescue, and everyday families all played vital roles in the coordinated effort.

Rescued people were first taken to a local campsite, then transported by Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 helicopters to evacuation centers in Mātāwai and Ōpōtiki. Fisher personally thanked every agency involved for ensuring everyone reached safety.

The stranded motorists had to leave their vehicles behind, and State Highway 2 remained closed through the weekend for recovery operations. But the human cost was zero.

Sometimes the best news is simply that when nature tests our systems, those systems work exactly as they should.