Hunter lost in dire weather

Fears for the safety of a New Plymouth hunter missing in the upper Waitotara Valley are intensifying, with police unable to locate the man after the alarm was raised on Saturday afternoon.

Police have not released the name of the 58-year-old man, who was reported missing by his hunting companions.

Up to 25 search and rescue staff have been scouring the rugged south Taranaki terrain in appalling weather.

The conditions have deteriorated significantly since Saturday.

Overnight temperatures in the valley were expected to drop to freezing as several cold fronts move up the country.

A spokeswoman for the Wanganui police said officers had set up a base at Taumatatahi, near Waitotara.

"All of the searchers are out of cellphone coverage, but the last reports we had were that the man had still not been found," she said last night.

Acting Senior Sergeant Darcy Forrester, of Wanganui, is heading the rescue attempt with the help of volunteers and police search and rescue teams.

The Taranaki search and rescue team has been put on standby but has not travelled south to help locate the man.

It is believed the hunter was with a group of three friends who had planned to be in the area for the weekend.

- NZPA