Searchers find clues in hunt for trampers missing at Kahurangi National Park
Searchers find clues in hunt for trampers missing at Kahurangi National Park
On Thursday, search police located both footprints and an historic campsite near the Webb River, but have not been able to confirm if either were connected to the pair.
Sergeant Malcolm York, the officer in charge of Tasman police search and rescue, said they were looking into whether the “items of interest” were relevant to missing trampers, Jessica O'Connor, a sea kayak guide, and Dion Reynolds.
Both are 23 and from the Tasman district.
O'Connor and Reynolds failed to return from a tramp in Kahurangi National Park after setting out on May 9.
York said the items were found in the remote Anatori catchment area, which is more than four hours' drive from Nelson.
The location, which has a number of creeks feeding into it, is the area where search teams have been working over the past few days, he said.
“Someone's gone up there ... but is it them? We're still trying to work that out.”
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As the land search continued on Thursday, a FENZ command unit from Nelson arrived at Anatori.
The self-sufficient communication unit has mobile data, and satellite phone communications.
On Thursday evening the search will be continued with the help of a Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 helicopter, with a crew of four and a medic on board to search inland from the Anatori River mouth.
The helicopter will be used to search along river beds, and use night vision goggles to look for light sources, such as fires or torches.
Golden Bay Land SAR volunteer Dave Egan said when searching for missing people, it was "always a challenge” trying to understand what they had done, where they went, and what their intentions might have been.
He said the focus of the search was fluid.
"At the moment, we have one bit of information, and then that changes, so the focus is now over there ... that's ongoing."
Egan said teams had been searching the Anatori River in freezing, waist-deep water for several days.
He and a local sheep farmer had just dropped a team four kilometres up the river on quad bikes, following old forestry roads.
"A couple of times the [quad] bikes were floating and it was just the wheels paddling us," he said.
"It's pretty rough terrain."
Another volunteer, Elly Delange, said teams had spent the entire day on Wednesday in rugged, virgin bush and cold river water searching for clues.
“We are looking for clues, tracks, campsites, discarded things, footprints, whatever is not natural and unusual ... we blow on the whistle a lot and call their names," she said.
"We just always hope we hear a call coming back from somewhere.”
Search numbers have increased as various trails and scenarios are explored in the hope of finding the pair.
Rescue teams spent Wednesday night in bush around the Anatori River. However, efforts to locate O'Connor and Reynolds were unsuccessful.
Search and Rescue co-ordinator Senior Constable Dave Cogger of Nelson Police said a drone with infrared capability had searched the area on Wednesday night but did not find anything of interest.
"We came across a number of goats, marsupials and other animals but unfortunately no humans. However, it has shown to be a valid search tool," he said.
As the days since the pair were last seen tick on, more personnel are being sent in to scour an area of interest in the wider search area, while others are being re-tasked to search an area slightly north.
"There is one particular valley system which we will be looking at."
Cogger said on Thursday morning search teams would be "casting the net wider", checking out areas and structures further inland and on the coast – such as the Kahurangi Lighthouse.
The pair's vehicle, which remained at the Anatori River car park they departed from, was also being monitored.
The operation management team had been increased to eight, while about 20 people were expected to be in the field by the end of the day.
Cogger said morale of the search teams had been "fantastic" despite a cold night in the bush.
The rugged terrain and largely unmarked trails of the Anatori presented a challenge for those on foot.
A further challenge in identifying the trampers' location had been the “multiple guesstimates” regarding their return date from those interviewed, as well as a number of rumours that had emerged.
The area is known as a spot where hallucinogenic mushrooms grow and are foraged for.
However, Cogger would not be drawn on any specific motives for the tramp.
"Search and rescue is prepared for all contingencies," he said.