Rescue crews have extracted three injured hikers from the Tasmanian wilderness after severe weather hampered the operation on Friday and Saturday.
The trio have been sheltering in Kitchen Hut in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, where they sought refuge after they began to suffer from hypothermia on Friday afternoon.
They have been taken to the Launceston General Hospital for treatment by road after the helicopter flew them to Dove Lake on Sunday morning.
A break in the weather on Sunday morning allowed for the rescue helicopter to reach the walkers, aged 28, 37 and 45.
Strong winds, thick snow and freezing temperatures had halted the efforts of the police, paramedics and SES to rescue the group, believed to be from India.
The rescue follows two failed attempts to bring them out by helicopter.
On Friday night winds of 100 kilometres per hour forced a police helicopter to return to Hobart.
Two Parks and Wildlife Service rangers and other walkers assisted the trio before a ground search and rescue party of three police officers and two wilderness paramedics arrived about 9:00pm on Friday.
The police rescue helicopter was sent out again on Saturday morning, and had to land near Cradle Mountain to wait for the walkers to arrive after worsening weather conditions ruled out a helicopter rescue at the hut again.
Snow in the area is about one metre deep and temperatures dropped to as low as -7 degrees Celsius.
Tasmania Police Inspector Shane LeFevre said the rescue was a timely reminder for walkers in Tasmania.
"Hikers must pay close attention to weather forecasts and take appropriate precautions," he said.
"They must prepare fully for the extreme walking conditions of Tasmania, even in summer.
"They should preferably carry an EPIRB at all times, and if not prepared, delay their walk."
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority aircraft, dedicated to search and rescue missions, was deployed yesterday from King Island and provided advice on weather conditions in the area.
Fire and flood elsewhere in Tasmania
Wild weather was also causing issues on Tasmania's east coast on Saturday, with an uncontrolled fire approaching the township of Swansea.
On Saturday night, more crews were in place for back-burning operations, and there is a community meeting on Sunday morning at the Swansea town hall.
The fire has now burnt through almost 2,000 hectares of land and is 1.5 kilometres west of the town.
It was sparked from a lightning strike more than a week ago and has been fanned by strong winds.
In the south, a minor flood warning was issued for the River Derwent and Huon River on Saturday.
