Snakes

Wild weather halts search for missing Golden Bay trampers

NZDFA Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 and crew has continued support to the police and LandSAR in the search for Jessica O’Connor and Dion Reynolds in the Kahurangi National Park.Heavy rain has forced searchers looking for missing trampers Jessica O’Connor and Dion Reynolds to abandon the search despite finding more potential leads. Both Reynolds and O’Connor have been described as “very outdoorsy” with “good experience”, but no one has seen the pair since they headed into the Kahurangi National Park on May 9. A police spokeswoman said search teams found historic footprints and camp sites in the search area prior to calling it off due to bad weather on Sunday evening. It was not yet known if they belong to the missing trampers. SuppliedWet weather forced searchers to abandon the hunt for Dion Reynolds, left, and Jessica O’Connor on Sunday. READ MORE: * Search team grows amid fears for missing Tasman trampers * Missing trampers’ fathers ‘hoping for the best’ as search enters fourth day * Aerial and ground searches grow as tramper search intensifiesNZDFOne of the search and rescuers readies herself to be winched down into the Kahurangi National Park in the search for missing trampers Jessica O’Connor and Dion Reynolds. The spokeswoman said it was unlikely the search would resume on Monday as the weather in the area was expected to deteriorate further.  A Metservice severe weather warning predicted between 70-100mm of rain to fall in the Nelson area overnight from Sunday afternoon until the early hours of Monday morning. An aerial shoreline search from the Kahurangi Lighthouse north to Farewell Spit did not locate anything.Metservice/SuppliedHeavy rain forcast in the Nelson area means the search is unlikely to resume on Monday.  On Saturday, a team from Alpine Cliff Rescue Mt Cook joined the existing search parties of volunteers, Police, New Zealand Defence Force, Search and Rescue, and Fire and Emergency NZ. There are currently 35 volunteers assisting with the search either in the field or at the forward base. The search has also discovered “items of interest” at an old campsite near the Webb river, which may have been used by the pair. NZDFA drone used by the Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 and crew has continued support to the police and LandSAR in the search for the pair. No heat or light sources have been found by the Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 helicopter that searched inland from the Anatori River mouth overnight Thursday. The infrared drone team and the NH90 helicopter continued to complement ground based searches over the weekend. The search has also expanded into the Heaphy Track area, and on the coast towards Farewell Spit. Rescue co-ordinator Senior Constable Dave Cogger of Nelson Police said the NH90 helicopter had been conducting aerial searches and transporting field teams to areas surrounding the Anatori River.StuffThe fathers of two missing trampers are hopeful their children’s outdoor experience means they will be found alive. The drone had covered several waterways on Friday, including Lake Otuhie and Snake Creek. Search management had been making extensive enquiries to corroborate differing reports of the expected return date of the pair. Despite the area covered and the growing resources thrown at the search, Cogger said this lack of firm details regarding the pair’s intentions made it difficult to narrow down a possible route taken by the pair. Police continue to ask for anyone who has been around the Anatori, Webb, Kokopu, Independent and Fraser rivers since May 8 to get in touch. Anyone with information should contact Police on 105 and quote event number P042228949.NZDFSearch and rescuers get flown in by the New Zealand Defence Force in the search for missing trampers Jessica O’Connor and Dion Reynolds in the Kahurangi National Park.Stuff
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