Image: Google MapsA helicopter pilot and another man are lucky to be alive after making an emergency landing in rough terrain on the Southern Alps. The Rescue Coordination Centre of New Zealand received a distress beacon alert at 8.18am today. Maritime New Zealand spokesman Mark Dittmer said the beacon alert was set off 13km north-east of Otira in Graft Creek. "They're extremely lucky they have landed the helicopter and survived the incident. A police spokeswoman confirmed they received an alert around 8.30am from an area north-west of the Crawford Range.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 03, 2017 21:37 UTC