A Swiss family, consisting of Maja Hugli, her husband Matthias, and their children Mael and Maliya, became stranded at the Manganuku conservation campsite due to severe weather and landslips that closed State Highway 2. After four days of uncertainty, they were airlifted by a New Zealand Defence Force helicopter but had to leave their camper van behind. The family had planned to travel to Gisborne for the First Light Marathon on January 24. Initially, the weather was manageable, but conditions deteriorated significantly on Thursday.
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