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Police last night appealed for sightings of Kaizer after he was reported missing from a residential address in Tiniroto. He was believed to have gone missing about 2.15pm.
RNZ reported Kaizer is autistic and lives on a remote sheep and cattle station, with family and friends continuing their search through the night after the official search was called off around midnight.
Some 200 people joined the search which resumed at first light.
Police are appealing for information to help locate Kaizer, 5, who has been reported missing from an address in Tiniroto, Gisborne.
People from as far away as Tolaga Bay - about 114km north - are travelling by mini-van to Tiniroto to join the search for the missing boy.
The Hastings-based Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter is also involved, using its onboard thermal imaging equipment.
The chopper arrived at the site shortly before 8am and conducted an initial 45-minute search before heading to the Eastland Helicopter Rescue Trust’s Gisborne hangar to refuel. They have since rejoined the search.
“The search has recommenced early this morning and will include members of Police Search and Rescue, Land Search and Rescue volunteers, and members of the public,” police said in a statement.
“Anyone who sees Kaizer is asked to please call 111 immediately, referencing event number P059617641. We would also ask that Tiniroto residents please check their properties and any outbuildings this morning.”
Temperatures in the Gisborne area dropped down to around 3C last night, according to MetService.
Kaizer was wearing a green hunting and fishing long-sleeve top, a nappy, no shoes, and possibly black pants with skeleton bones at the front.
“He was wearing a green hunting and fishing long-sleeve top, a nappy, no shoes, and may be wearing black pants with skeleton bones at the front,” police said on social media last night.
Anyone with information is asked to call 111 and reference event number P059617641.
Local farmer Alex Campbell told Radio New Zealand’s Morning Report a missing child was every family’s and every community’s “worst nightmare”.
He was notified of the boy’s disappearance late Sunday afternoon and there was a scramble from the local community to mobilise and search where they could into the night/The terrain had “everything imaginable” - including waterways, steep hills and forestry.
It was also like “a needle in a haystack”, Campbell said.
Search and rescue was back this morning and ground teams had started searching again - with every farmer in the area also out helping. Campbell said he believed there was hope in finding the boy if he was on land.