Search continues for Michael MacGregor, missing in Mount Holdsworth area

A search is under way in the Mount Holdsworth area for Michael MacGregor, who failed to return from a walk on Monday.

A helicopter, two dogs and a team of volunteers have joined the search for a man missing in the Mount Holdsworth area.

Michael MacGregor was last seen at the Rocky Lookout at 12.20pm on Monday, wearing shorts and a hoodie. Yesterday, police appealed for information and asked anyone who may have seen him – including a man shown in the back of a video MacGregor posted to social media – to come forward.

Police say they received a lot of information, including from the man in the video and are grateful for the response.

Today, the search for MacGregor will continue, focusing on the Rocky Lookout and the Totara Flats areas. Police search and rescue teams stayed the night in Totara Flats Hut, and are being supported by another police search and rescue squad on a training exercise overnight at Tutuwai hut.

There are also several land search and rescue (LandSAR) teams volunteering in the search, supported by Amateur Radio Emergency Communications volunteers.

A LandSAR dog is currently searching the forest, and a police dog will be deployed shortly.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter with thermal imaging has been deployed already and a drone may be used – however, these are both weather-dependent.

Thunderstorms are expected to be widespread across the western and northern regions of the North Island, from Manawatu to Northland and across to the eastern Bay of Plenty.

Coastal sections of Wairarapa and the Māhia Peninsula are also at risk of thunderstorms.

Vita Molyneux is a Wellington-based journalist who covers breaking news and stories from the capital. She has been a journalist since 2018 and joined the Herald in 2021.