Swiss Family Airlifted From NZ Gorge, Continues Adventure

When Maja Hügli planned a six-week motorhome trip across New Zealand to escape Switzerland's freezing winter, she never imagined her family would become part of a Defence Force rescue operation.

Hügli, her husband, and their two children aged 9 and 11 arrived at Manganuku campsite in the Waioweka Gorge on Wednesday for what should have been a peaceful two-night stay. The kids played happily by the water, soaking up the summer sunshine.

Then the rain started. By Thursday night, the deluge had turned the normally busy road eerily quiet.

"We got a bit suspicious, like, 'What's happening now?'" Hügli said. Slips had trapped them between Ōpōtiki and Gisborne with no way out.

The family waited all day Friday for road crews to clear the debris. Instead, police arrived by helicopter with unexpected news: the Defence Force would airlift them out within the hour.

The children were scared as they hurriedly packed what they could carry, leaving most belongings behind. But during the eight-minute flight, the helicopter crew showed remarkable kindness, sharing a chocolate bar with the frightened kids.

At midnight, they touched down in Mātāwai. Police drove them to Gisborne, where more kindness waited: a local family who had also been rescued invited the stranded tourists into their home for the night.

"We were really lucky," Hügli said.

Sunny's Take

This story captures something beautiful about challenging moments: they reveal the best in people. From the Defence Force crew sharing chocolate with scared children to complete strangers opening their home at midnight, the Hügli family experienced New Zealand's famous hospitality in the most unexpected way.

By Tuesday, officials were arranging transport back to retrieve their motorhome. The highway would remain closed for weeks, but the family had already made their decision.

They would continue their trip south as planned, now carrying a tale of adventure, resilience, and human kindness that no peaceful campsite could have given them.