Water And Foot Search For Missing University Student

16 August 2006

Police divers and search and rescue experts have been asked to help with the investigation into missing Victoria University student Daniel Hansman.

Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Cotter, Wellington CIB, said it's a week tomorrow night that 19-year-old Daniel was last seen or heard from.

The dive team will from 8am tomorrow spend the day searching the inner harbour from the Overseas Passenger Terminal through to the Queen's Wharf area in case Daniel has fallen into the water.

Wellington Police Search and Rescue staff will tomorrow search the most likely routes Daniel would have taken from Courtenay Place, where he was last seen outside Coyotes Bar at 11.30pm last Thursday night, to his flat in Evertoun Terrace, Kelburn.

Searchers will focus on one block either side of Courtenay Place from Kent Terrace to Taranaki Street, and the streets, steps and pockets of bush from Dixon Street, McDonald Crescent, The Terrace and Evertoun Terrace, and the Manners and Boulcott Street routes, including Flagstaff Hill.

"We don't know what has happened to Daniel or where he is but inquiries to date give no suggestion he's been the victim of a crime," Detective Senior Sergeant Cotter said.

"We've investigated all the immediately obvious options, and there's nothing in Daniel's personal life to suggest anything untoward. Searching the water, the alleyways around Courtenay Place and the steep banks, steps and bush areas he might have walked through are the few options left open to us," Detective Senior Sergeant Cotter said.

Investigators will also put a police caravan in Courtenay Place tomorrow night and staff it from after 9pm to try and elicit information from people visiting the bars, pubs and restaurants - particularly those who were in the area last Thursday night and who might have seen Daniel or where he went.

Depending on the results of tomorrow's activities, police will review the investigation at the end of the week.

ENDS

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