Lost Italian tourist finds way out of NZ bush

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Written by Linda Hohnholz

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – An Italian exchange student has been found safe and well after becoming lost in dense bush yesterday.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – An Italian exchange student has been found safe and well after becoming lost in dense bush yesterday.

Eric Rigamonti walked out of the rugged bush between Eastbourne and Wainuiomata onto Coast Road in Wainuiomata. He made his way to a local property where he was able to contact his host family and police.

Mr Rigamonti entered the bush with two fellow exchange students from Japan and Spain at 3pm yesterday. The 17-year-old sent a text message to his host family at 9pm last night saying that he and two others had become lost in dense bush.

Senior sergeant Carolyn McKenzie said police spoke to him at around 11pm and he told them that he had separated from his friends to find mobile phone reception after the group became disorientated.

Police launched a search and rescue operation after the phonecall and at around 5am Mr Rigamonti’s two classmates from Wainuiomata College were located near Golans Creek.

Twenty-five search and rescue personnel were involved in the search.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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