New twist to Erceg review

An investigation into the search for the body of millionaire Michael Erceg is trying to establish if the hunt went on five days longer than necessary because crucial information was ignored by the country's main search and rescue agency.

All aspects of the search for Erceg's crashed helicopter are being reviewed, including the handling of flight data given to the Rescue Coordination Centre, run by Maritime New Zealand.

The information eventually revealed the crash site south of Raglan.

Westpac Rescue Helicopter pilot Darryl Sherwin used his own flight data to uncover a radar error, then tracked what ended up being the flight-path of Mr Erceg's helicopter. He said the information was passed to the rescue centre on Tuesday November 15 - 11 days after Mr Erceg, a liquor magnate, and his Dutch colleague Guus Klatte had gone missing.

Mr Erceg's family spent millions of dollars conducting their own search before the crash site was found on November 19, after Mr Sherwin's information was checked out.

The independent investigation was ordered by the Search and Rescue Secretariat, established by Cabinet in 2003 to provide high-level strategic governance to all search and rescue agencies.

It has appointed former police assistant commissioner Paul Fitzharris to probe a string of issues that arose from the search.

Mr Sherwin said he had told Mr Fitzharris the information had been provided days before the wreck was found.

"Both parties [the RCC and the Erceg family] had the information on that Tuesday." The helicopter was discovered at 7pm on Saturday.

The review is expected to be completed by March 31.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY