Climbers rescued from Fiordand National Park after three nights in severe weather

Two climbers have been rescued from Fiordland National Park, after spending three nights stranded on a steep mountainside, sheltering in a bivouac through severe weather.

Southland Search and Rescue needed three attempts to extract them from near Sabre Peak, after a personal locator beacon was detected in the area on Wednesday evening.

One of the climbers contacted his brother via satellite text messages, triggering a second rescue attempt, but they were finally removed on Friday.

"About 7am today, the Southern Lakes Helicopter crew successfully located the climbers and carried out a 100 foot longline extraction from the mountainside," said rescue co-ordinator Dougall Henderson. "Their survival is remarkable.

"They had been stranded on the steep mountainside for three nights, sheltering in a two-person bivvy and sleeping bags, which became saturated during prolonged exposure to severe weather.

"They had run out of food and believed they would not have survived another night on the mountain."

The climbers were checked over by a doctor on board the helicopter and transported to Te Anau for further examination.

Sergeant Henderson said the outcome highlighted both good decision-making by the climbers and the challenges faced by rescue services in alpine environments.

"The climbers made the right decision to activate their beacon early and remain in place, once the weather deteriorated," he said.

"They were well equipped and they communicated clearly, using satellite messaging, and that allowed rescuers to make informed decisions, while waiting for a safe weather window.

"This was also an outstanding effort by the helicopter crew, operating in an extreme and unforgiving alpine environment.

"Their ability to safely locate and extract the climbers using a longline technique prevented what could have been a far more serious outcome."

The incident was a timely reminder of the unpredictability of Fiordland weather and the limitations of rescue operations in mountainous terrain.

"Even when help is on the way, adverse weather can delay rescue efforts," Sergeant Henderson said.

"People heading into alpine or remote areas need to plan conservatively, monitor forecasts closely and carry appropriate emergency equipment - including a PLB or satellite communication device, or both."

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