Locator beacon lifesaver for father and son stranded on freezing national park ridge

A locator beacon has proved to be a lifesaver for a father and son stranded in Kahurangi National Park

The pair were rescued near Mt Patriarch on Sunday morning following a “massive effort” from search and rescue teams.

The alarm was raised on Saturday evening, after the man and his 10-year-old son got into difficulty and became separated at high altitude on the ridge near Mt Patriarch in Nelson's Western Ranges.

Nelson police search and rescue co-ordinator Sergeant Malcolm York said that with bad weather closing in, including rain and snow flurries, the pair had been unable to reach shelter as nightfall approached.

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