Around 7.30pm last night (Sunday, 18 April) Taumarunui Police were alerted by a concerned family member to four local people overdue to arrive at the Kakahi Landing after a rafting trip on the Whakapapa River.
They were due out at 5pm and Police and family could not raise any of the parties on mobile phones.
The group included a 32 year-old man, and three others aged 17, 10 and 8 years.
National Park Police coordinated the search and the Taupo Helicopter was deployed to conduct a sweep of the river. Land parties were preparing to deploy.
A Land SAR member conducting a sweep along Whakapapa Road located all four parties at about 10pm. They had walked out of their own accord.
All were fit and well. The 32 year-old man informed Police that the trip had taken longer than they had thought and they decided to walk out when it got too dark to carry on along the river.