Northern Territory Police have rescued a grandfather and granddaughter who had become stranded on a remote section of the Plenty Highway, approximately 100kms west of the Queensland border.
At around 1pm on Sunday 28 December, Police were notified that a vehicle with two occupants had experienced a mechanical failure and required assistance. Police attempted to drive to the location from Harts Range, however, were forced to turn back due to floodwaters rendering roads impassable, NT Police said in a statement.
On Monday morning, Police deployed a helicopter from Alice Springs to the location and located the pair safe and well at around 10:30am.
The man aged in his 70s and his teenage granddaughter had been travelling to Queensland when they experienced issues with their vehicle.
Police returned the pair to Alice Springs via helicopter where they made arrangements to have the vehicle recovered.
“The pair did everything right and were well-prepared for their journey, travelling with all the appropriate equipment. As a result, they were able to handle an unforeseeable circumstance and safely waited in place until police arrived to assist,” Acting Senior Sergeant Chris Harden said.
“This incident highlights the importance of being well-prepared when embarking on remote road trips; make sure you carry plenty of food and water, read the NT Road reports and carry a means of remote area communication, such as a phone with satellite communication capabilities.”
