A tramper was rescued by the Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter after experiencing hallucinations during a multi-day hike, prompting a warning about the importance of carrying a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) and recognizing early warning signs of physiological stress.
Tramper’s Hallucinations Trigger Rescue
The tramper, who has been hiking in New Zealand’s North Island for around 20 years, began to struggle on the fourth day of a planned five-day loop in an area he was familiar with. Despite staying well-hydrated and eating adequately, he experienced increasing fatigue and eventually began to hallucinate.
“I began to struggle to achieve a sensible distance between breaks and felt very weary over a short period of time, despite being well hydrated and eating well,” he said. “Hallucinating there was a zebra on the path at one point really brought it home that I would likely be in a bad way if I managed to complete day four, and day five was really not looking good.”
Fearing he could be lost for a significant time if he collapsed, the tramper activated his PLB. The Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter responded within 20 minutes, winching him to safety.
Importance of PLBs and Recognizing Warning Signs
Air crew officer Michaela Horsefield explained that hallucinating while tramping is a significant indicator of physiological stress on the brain. She urged hikers to treat symptoms like confusion, visual disturbances, extreme fatigue, or poor coordination as warning signs to stop, shelter, and consider calling for help.
The tramper was later diagnosed with a lingering bronchial infection after returning to civilization and made a quick recovery. He emphasized the importance of listening to one’s body and paying attention to early warning signs.
“Listen to your body and to what it is telling you – if something doesn’t feel quite right or your body is not responding as it normally would then listen to it earlier rather than later,” he said.
The Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter crew is now advising anyone planning tramping or hunting trips in the Hawke’s Bay region during autumn or winter to invest in a PLB. According to Horsefield, without a PLB, a search might not begin for 12 to 48 hours, and the tramper could have attempted a self-rescue, risking further injury or even not being found at all.
“Carrying a PLB and listening to early body signals are key safety measures, especially during multi-day autumn tramps when conditions can change quickly,” Horsefield said. A PLB “significantly improves survival chances” by providing rescuers with an exact GPS distress signal.
In early 2026, the helicopter had been called to four tramping or hunting-related missions in the past two months alone.
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