Review into official Erceg search

The National Rescue Co-ordination Centre will review the way it conducted the official search for Michael Erceg after his family criticised it for stopping too early.

The official search for the businessman, who was piloting his nearly new Eurocopter, and his passenger, Dutch beer company executive Guus Klatte, was abandoned more than a week ago, but a private search led by the families had continued.

The Erceg family's search co-ordinator, Roger Smith, said yesterday that it was not the time to dwell on "any mistakes that may have been made and issues as to how the search was conducted".

"We simply hope that a review of the search that we have undertaken will provide lessons that may benefit other families that may be in the same situation in the future.

"We were determined to find closure in our private search and this has been achieved."

Everyone involved in the search - including ground search teams, pilots, spotters and command centre staff - was thanked.

Mr Smith said the family and friends appreciated the love, support and prayers that were with them during the search.

Mr Erceg's brother, Ivan, told the Herald on Sunday that the family were angry at the way the search had been handled.

"It's vital bureaucracy does not overwhelm the good intent of the ordinary New Zealander. If you don't review and don't update, then rot sets in. I suspect the rot has set in."

Michael Erceg, 50, was one of the country's richest men, with an estimated fortune of $620 million built up from his company, Independent Liquor. He had been missing since November 4. His helicopter was found in bush on a farm south of Raglan on Saturday night.

The Civil Aviation Authority, which sent crash investigators to the scene yesterday, said a broken antenna on the helicopter's rescue beacon may have delayed searchers.

Spokesman Bill Sommer said an inspector believed the beacon was functioning properly but the antenna could have broken off as it crashed through the bush canopy.

The bodies of Mr Erceg and Mr Klatte were removed yesterday. A person who saw the crash site said the front of the helicopter was pulverised.

A search co-ordinator, who did not want to be named, said the decision to call off the search was based on the assumption that the men were dead.

"It turns out that decision was right."

Mr Sommer said it might be nine months before the cause of the crash was known.

Raglan police constable Dave Litton said it would take three days to inspect the site. "It crashed in a ravine, it's gone in quite hard."

In New Plymouth, Michael Erceg's business associate and friend, Chris Simkin, said he always believed his friend would be found in the Raglan area, NZPA reported.

"He wasn't one to take risks. It's where I expected it to be. It is my belief he went off the radar screen and soon after the crash occurred."

Mr Simkin had been invited on the ill-fated helicopter journey, but turned down the offer to attend a wedding in Christchurch.