WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A week after a hiker was airlifted from a remote waterfall without her dog, a determined group of strangers helped bring the two back together.
The woman had fallen roughly 180 feet at a waterfall on New Zealand’s South Island and was rescued with injuries on March 24th, 2026, but her border collie, Molly, was left behind in the rugged backcountry.
Refusing to give up, local helicopter pilot Matt Newton launched a crowd funding campaign for a search effort that quickly gained support, with donors raising more than $6,000 to fund additional flights and equipment.
Using thermal imaging, Newton and a team of volunteers spotted Molly within an hour of resuming the search. The dog, hungry but in surprisingly good condition, was safely recovered and flown out. Hours later, Molly was reunited with her owner, bringing a happy ending to a rescue effort powered by persistence, community support and a shared love for a lost dog.
“Thank you to everybody who donated & volunteered to help, the success of saving Molly would not have been possible without this joint effort. What a happy ending to reunite her with Jess after her accident. 1 week lost in the wild, Molly will be happy to be home.” –Precision Helicopters Ltd
