Search for missing helicopter in Nelson region

Improving weather will see four helicopters resuming the search for a helicopter that went missing yesterday on a flight from Karamea, on the West Coast to Nelson.

The helicopters will be in position by noon, searching the area around the missing aircraft’s last known position, over steep, bush-covered terrain 35km west of Motueka.

Two four-person land-based search and rescue teams were in the area near the Flora River shortly after 8am, and two further teams will also be sent to the search area this afternoon.

Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) search and rescue controller Greg Johnston said the weather in the area had cleared allowing the helicopters to operate.

“After a cloudy, wet start to the day, the sun is out and we are hopeful of a sustained period of searching this afternoon,” he said. “The search area has been divided into separate smaller areas and each will be inspected very closely by one of the helicopters operating at low altitude and low speed.”

No emergency beacon signal has been detected from the missing helicopter – a Robinson 44 – and the search area is based on information from the helicopter’s tracking system. The area being searched is around 5km in each direction from that point.

ENDS

© Scoop Media