The search area on Tuesday.
Photo: NZ Police
So, like, the police are kinda worried about the weather getting worse at Milford Sound, which might make it harder to find this dude who went missing while out tramping. A big ol’ search and rescue mission has been going on in Milford Sound for this guy who vanished on Sunday. Apparently, he went out for a solo tramp up Mitre Peak and never came back. That’s when they sounded the alarm and got the search party started late Monday night.
Detective Tracy Ward mentioned that there’s been a whole bunch of folks out there combing through the tough terrain, with some help from helicopter crews. Real NZ, a tourism company in Milford Sound, has been lending a hand too. About 60 volunteers, 10 police peeps, and a bunch of helicopter and tourism staff are all on the lookout for this missing fella, according to Ward.
The search teams have been using helicopters since Monday, even searching through the night and starting up again in the morning. They’ve got Land Search and Rescue teams with dogs out there too, along with alpine cliff rescue teams. The area they’re looking in is super rough and rugged, making the search even more challenging.
Although they haven’t found any clues to narrow down the search area yet, Ward is staying positive. This missing guy is supposed to be pretty experienced in the great outdoors, so hopefully, he’s got the right gear to help him tough it out. Ward mentioned that they’ve been in touch with his family but can’t give out more info about him just yet.
With the weather expected to take a turn for the worse on Tuesday night, the police are bracing themselves for some challenges in their search efforts. They’ve already talked to a few people who saw the missing man around Mitre Peak on Sunday, but they’re still hoping to hear from anyone else who might have info. If you were in the area on Sunday and saw something, hit up the police either online or by calling 105 and mentioning the event number P062448221.
The search continues, and everyone involved is keeping their fingers crossed for a positive outcome. Let’s hope they find this guy safe and sound real soon.