Three men have been rescued after being reported missing while rafting on the Waikaia River near Piano Flat.

Police were alerted at around 9.30pm yesterday that the men did not reach their designated pick-up point after a planned trip on the river.

After making initial enquiries overnight, Police Search and Rescue began the search at first light this morning.

Police would like to thank Fire and Emergency New Zealand for providing a Command Truck for a forward search base at Piano Flat.

Southern Lakes Helicopters – Te Anau assisted the search by providing a helicopter, which located two inflatable watercrafts in a gorge section of the river, about 6.5km north of Piano Flat.

At around 11.30am, one of the men was sighted by the helicopter near the river’s edge with a leg injury.

The other two men were located nearby a short time later, cold but otherwise uninjured.

The trio were winched from the river to safety by the helicopter and were medically assessed. The man with the leg injury was transported to hospital by Ambulance.

Police would like to thank Land Search and Rescue volunteers from Southland, Eastern Southland, Catlins, and Fiordland, alongside Amateur Radio Emergency Communications.

Police would also like to thank the public who provided vital information of the area and terrain.

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