Christchurch man Peter John Crowther, who has been missing for almost a month in a freezing South Island alpine range, is most likely dead, police say.
Police have spent the last three days searching a remote area of Arthur's Pass National Park for the 55-year-old after a member of the public found his 1996 Mitsubishi Galant near the Mount White bridge, close to the Hawdon Shelter, on Sunday.
Mr Crowther was last seen on Friday 14 June outside his Addington workplace.
Detective Inspector Dave Long of Christchurch Police said officers did not hold any realistic prospect of finding Mr Crowther alive in the searched area.
"As a result of our enquiries, including discussions with Mr Crowther's family about his personal circumstances prior to going missing, we believe it is most likely that he is deceased.