Trending Now - Strangers Fund Helicopter Rescue for Hiker's Lost Dog After Fall

WHO:

ABC News - The hiker is Jessica Johnston.

ABC News - The dog is named Molly, a border collie.

ABC News - Matt Newton is the owner-operator of Precision Helicopters New Zealand.

CNN - The helicopter crew included a veterinary nurse and volunteer searchers.

WHAT:

ABC News - The crowdfunding campaign raised over 11,000 New Zealand dollars (approximately $6,300) for the search.

ABC News - The helicopter crew found Molly within an hour of searching on April 1st, 2026, using thermal imaging technology.

ABC News - Matt Newton stated, “We struck jackpot within about an hour,” referring to the successful search for Molly.

CNN - Molly was found wet and cold among a pile of rocks at the base of the waterfall.

ABC News - Molly was found on April 1st, 2026, just a few meters from the spot where Johnston had fallen.

ABC News - Matt Newton stated, “I went and looked for the dog several times and no avail,” regarding his initial search efforts.

ABC News - The helicopter crew included a dog named Bingo, who was used to help coax Molly to safety.

ABC News - Newton believed Molly survived by eating feral animals during her week in the wilderness.

ABC News - The helicopter crew had a barbecue and cuddled with Molly after her rescue.

ABC News - Molly was found bedraggled and hungry, just a few meters from where Johnston had fallen.

ABC News - The helicopter crew used thermal imaging equipment to locate Molly within an hour of searching on March 31st, 2026.

ABC News - Matt Newton stated, “We struck jackpot within about an hour,” referring to the successful search for Molly.

CNN - Molly was found wet and cold among a pile of rocks at the base of the waterfall.

CNN - Johnston, impeded by a cast on her right arm, slowly lowered herself to the ground to embrace Molly upon their reunion.

CNN - Johnston wrote on her Facebook page, “She’s been (through) a bloody rough week. But with both of us back home I can add this adventure to the list.”

CNN - Pilot Matt Newton mentioned that Molly was already playing fetch with the crew as soon as she arrived at the helicopter base.

ABC News - Molly was rescued after being lost for a week following Johnston's fall.

ABC News - Strangers raised over 11,000 New Zealand dollars (approximately $6,300) for the search.

CNN - Molly was found wet and cold at the base of the waterfall.

CNN - The rescue team used thermal imaging technology to locate Molly.

WHERE:

ABC News - The incident occurred in the Arahura Valley on the South Island’s West Coast of New Zealand.

ABC News - The helicopter company is based at Hokitika Gorge near the Arahura River.

WHEN:

ABC News - Molly was found on April 1st, 2026, just a few meters from the spot where Johnston had fallen.

ABC News - The helicopter search for Molly took place on April 1st, 2026.

ABC News - Johnston fell from the waterfall on March 24th, 2026.

ABC News - Molly was found on March 31st, 2026.

CNN - The crowdfunding campaign began shortly after Johnston's fall, with significant donations by Sunday, March 29th, 2026.

WHY:

ABC News - The search for Molly was motivated by the desire to reunite her with her owner after Johnston's accident.

HOW:

ABC News - The search utilized advanced thermal imaging equipment that was brought over from Christchurch.

ABC News - The search was funded through a crowdfunding campaign that raised enough money for three additional hours of helicopter flight time.

ABC News - The search was funded through a crowdfunding campaign that raised money for additional flying hours and advanced search gear.

CNN - The rescue team initially searched for Molly three times before utilizing thermal imaging technology for better results.

(UPDATED April 1, 2026 17:18 UTC)

Molly was found wet and cold among a pile of rocks at the base of a waterfall on Wednesday, just a few meters from where Johnston had fallen. The successful search, which took less than an hour, was aided by advanced thermal imaging technology brought in from Christchurch, and Matt Newton described the moment as hitting the jackpot. The crowdfunding campaign for the search raised over 11,000 New Zealand dollars, which is approximately $6,300.

(UPDATED April 1, 2026 15:21 UTC)

Molly, a missing dog, was found on Wednesday, just a few meters from where her owner, Johnston, had fallen. The helicopter crew, which included a dog named Bingo, used advanced thermal imaging equipment from Christchurch to locate her, and after her rescue, they celebrated with a barbecue and cuddled with Molly. Her owner, Matt Newton, had searched for her several times without success and believes she survived by eating feral animals during her week in the wilderness.

(UPDATED April 1, 2026 13:23 UTC)

Molly, a missing dog, was found bedraggled and hungry just a few meters from where her owner, Johnston, had fallen, thanks to a helicopter crew that used thermal imaging equipment to locate her within an hour of searching on Tuesday. Johnston, who was impeded by a cast on her right arm, joyfully embraced Molly at the base of the waterfall, later sharing on Facebook that they both endured a tough week but were grateful to be back home. Pilot Matt Newton noted that Molly was already playing fetch with the crew as soon as they arrived at the helicopter base, and the search was made possible through a crowdfunding campaign that funded three additional hours of flight time.

(UPDATED April 1, 2026 09:21 UTC)

Jessica Johnston fell from a waterfall in the Arahura Valley March 24th, and her dog, Molly, a border collie, was lost for a week before being found wet and cold at the base of the waterfall on Tuesday. The search for Molly was supported by a crowdfunding campaign that raised over 11,000 New Zealand dollars, which helped fund additional flying hours and advanced search gear, and included a rescue team that utilized thermal imaging technology after initial searches. Matt Newton, the owner-operator of Precision Helicopters New Zealand, led the effort to reunite Molly with Johnston, highlighting the community's desire to bring the two back together after the accident.