The search for a missing West Coast man has moved into a review phase following 10 days of “intensive searching” after the experienced hiker left for a walk and did not return.
Roy Arbon, 75, was overdue from a walk in the Mt Davy area northeast of Greymouth on July 23.
He left a handwritten note, police told 1News, that read: “Gone for walk. Mt Davy to Mt Sewell. Back tonight or tomorrow morning..”
He was seen later that morning heading from Rūnanga to the Mt Davy area on a red bike.
Police said around 1700 search hours had been carried out, but Arbon was yet to be found.
Senior Sergeant Mark Kirkwood said a large push was made in the Mt Davy area on Saturday which deployed “every available resource” that could be mustered.
“Seventy-nine people deployed out into the Mt Davy area where his phone last pinged, which is notoriously difficult terrain.
“It’s riddled with mineshafts, cliffs, steep drop-offs, trenches, and West Coast bush.”
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Kirkwood said police had received numerous calls from the public. Many led to further points of interest with any viable leads followed up.
“Tomorrow, we intend to send in a dog team and searchers to a further area of interest that we have identified, and we continue to assess any new information received that might lead to Roy’s location.
“It’s very disappointing not to have found Roy to date, and we know how gutting it is, not just for his family, but the wider community.”
Searchers were grateful for the public’s support, he added.
“We’ve received so many offers of help. On Saturday, for example, coffee cart business MASH bus catering went to the staging area and fed people and provided coffees for free – awesome stuff.
“To anyone who has come out and helped us search, brought supplies, or sent messages of support, thank you.”
Phone pings deepen mystery
Arbon’s phone was active in an open area just 12 minutes before a search helicopter flew over the exact location without spotting any sign of him, authorities say.
Other trampers in the same route in the same direction also didn’t report seeing any sign of the 75-year-old at the time, which has been deemed “really odd”.
Kirkwood said the last time the phone was active was 2.39pm on July 24 — giving searchers a “place to focus”.
The data showed on July 24 “Arbon was in an open area”, roughly 1km north of Sewell Peak’s repeater and 2km south of Mount Davy, heading south.
On that day, 12 minutes after the phone pinged, a police sergeant happened to be flying over that precise location in a helicopter, taking video of the search area.
“When we reviewed the footage, we couldn’t find any sign of Mr Arbon in it. We know his phone was absolutely in that area, and we know the polling is right — you get perfect reception up there because you’re right by the repeater,” the senior sergeant said.
Kirkwood said the timing was all the more puzzling, given the terrain.
“In this area, you’re a good distance from the cover of bush, and it would’ve been a struggle for him to walk that far that fast,” he told 1News.
“We have spoken to two people who walked the same route in the same direction, and they didn’t see him. It’s really odd.”
