Helicopter Joins Search For Missing Volunteer

3 January 2012

Helicopter Joins Search For Missing Volunteer On Raoul Island

A long range search helicopter has joined a boat and ground search team looking for a Department of Conservation volunteer on Raoul Island, missing since early yesterday morning.

The helicopter left Ardmore at 11.30am today, arriving at Raoul Island, 1000km northeast of New Zealand around 5.30pm. As darkness fell, they had still failed to find any trace of the volunteer, who was two months into a six month stint and is thought to have been swept into the sea while carrying out routine monitoring.

Department of Conservation Warkworth Great Barrier Island Area Manager Tim Brandenburg says while there is still an active and intensive search underway, there are now grave concerns for the volunteer’s safety.

“The missing person is a passionate conservationist who was enjoying the opportunity to live and work in such a unique place. It was his high level of fitness and previous experience as a ranger that got him a place on the team. We are now very worried that he somehow ended up in the water and was unable to get back to the shore.”

Part of the volunteer’s job is to contribute to the meteorological work for MetService NZ, which he was carrying out just before he disappeared at the landing site at Fishing Rock, close to the DOC field base. The temperature gauge he was using was found floating in the water close to shore, about 150m from his vehicle.

The volunteer’s family have requested that his name not be released yet, asking for extra time to come to terms with the situation.

In the meantime, the search will carry on tomorrow morning, with coordination and oversight being provided by the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand. A decision will then be made to continue or scale down the operation.

Mr Brandenburg says volunteers are selected carefully and follow strict safety procedures while undertaking any work.

“All team members, both staff and volunteers go through an interview process and are trained for the tasks they undertake. At this stage we don’t know quite what led to this incident occurring, there will be a full investigation in due course.”

The six team members remaining on Raoul have covered much of the coastline on foot as well as conducting a boat search, once the helicopter arrived to provide them with safety back up. Although the events have taken an emotional toll, they remain committed to the task of trying to find their friend and workmate.

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