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A father and son are missing in the Fiordland bush after not returning on Saturday.
Police are searching for Invercargill man Alan Mortimore and his 14-year-old son Danny in a forest near Lake Hauroko.
Sergeant Ian Martin, who was onsite at the search, said the pair had come to the area by themselves, and other people at the Thicket Burn Campsite said they had little gear with them.
“All our enquiries so far have established they did not have a GPS, locator beacon or compass,” Martin said.
Police were concerned for the pair’s wellbeing, as they had been missing for two nights already and there was bad weather forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday, he said.
“It’s heavily bushed and there’s lots of creeks in there that would pose a danger or hazard.”
Hunters participating in the roar have been asked to stay out of the area south of the Lillburn Valley Rd.
The search area of focus was just south of that road and the Department of Conservation campsite, Martin said.
On Monday afternoon, there were six teams of four searchers, mostly Land SAR with some police, accompanied by three search dogs, he said.
Amateur Radio Emergency Communications are assisting and more searchers are expected to come from Dunedin and Queenstown later on Monday.
The pair were reported overdue by fellow hunters on Sunday afternoon, after they failed to return from a hunt on Saturday.
“Police are concerned for the welfare of the hunters as it is believed they were ill-equipped for a night out in the bush,” a police statement released on Monday says.
On Sunday afternoon, police search and rescue personnel conducted a ground search until last light.
A helicopter then used thermal and night vision technology, the statement says.
Father and son missing in Fiordland, believed to be ill-equipped for night in bush
Police are searching for Invercargill man Alan Mortimore and his 14-year-old son Danny in a forest near Lake Hauroko.
Sergeant Ian Martin, who was onsite at the search, said the pair had come to the area by themselves, and other people at the Thicket Burn Campsite said they had little gear with them.
“All our enquiries so far have established they did not have a GPS, locator beacon or compass,” Martin said.
Police were concerned for the pair’s wellbeing, as they had been missing for two nights already and there was bad weather forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday, he said.
“It’s heavily bushed and there’s lots of creeks in there that would pose a danger or hazard.”
Hunters participating in the roar have been asked to stay out of the area south of the Lillburn Valley Rd.
The search area of focus was just south of that road and the Department of Conservation campsite, Martin said.
On Monday afternoon, there were six teams of four searchers, mostly Land SAR with some police, accompanied by three search dogs, he said.
Amateur Radio Emergency Communications are assisting and more searchers are expected to come from Dunedin and Queenstown later on Monday.
The pair were reported overdue by fellow hunters on Sunday afternoon, after they failed to return from a hunt on Saturday.
“Police are concerned for the welfare of the hunters as it is believed they were ill-equipped for a night out in the bush,” a police statement released on Monday says.
On Sunday afternoon, police search and rescue personnel conducted a ground search until last light.
A helicopter then used thermal and night vision technology, the statement says.
Father and son missing in Fiordland, believed to be ill-equipped for night in bush
