The first North Otago search and rescue exercise in several years was a success on Sunday, organiser Lindsay Kyles said yesterday.
About 50 people turned out for the exercise in the Waianakarua reserve near Camp Iona, quickly locating the four "missing" teenagers and rescuing two who were injured.
Search and rescue was called out about 7am for the mission, finding the missing group about 11am, with everyone out by 2pm followed by a debriefing.
The exercise was based on a scenario of four teenagers who went into the north branch of the Waianakarua River on Friday night, intending to tramp downstream.
They did not report in by Saturday night.
On Sunday, searchers were split into three ground parties, boosted by a helicopter for the search.
When found, two of the teenagers were injured - one with head injuries and the other with a broken leg.
Mr Kyles said the teenager with the head injury was airlifted out using a long line from the helicopter.
The one with the injured leg was carried out to a site more accessible for the helicopter to land.
Ground parties were then flown out.
Originally, search headquarters was going to be set up at the Glencoe Reserve, below Camp Iona, but bad radio reception forced it to be relocated higher up.
