Cops track down hikers lost in pine barrens on Christmas

A Christmas Day hike in the pine barrens nearly went awry, as two women lost their bearings when there was just one hour of daylight left and their cellphone battery was down to 30 percent, police said.

Southampton Town police dispatchers, however, located their cellphone signal about 0.8 miles south of Moriches Riverhead Road in Northampton, after the hikers called for help at about 3:30 p.m., the town police said in a statement.

All available police units were dispatched and a drone was sent skyward to search for the lost hikers.

Using enhanced 911 technology and a GPS system, dispatchers guided the two women to the police units waiting for them along Pine Barrens trails, the police said.

Officer Josiah Hoshyla located the hikers, evaluated their condition and took them to their vehicle.

No further details were immediately available.