Searches fail to find missing Westport man

Police began the search on Friday, assisted by Westport Land Search and Rescue. Photo / File

Searches throughout Buller have failed to find missing Westport man, Willem Hendrik van Vuuren, aged 54.

Police began the search on Friday, assisted by Westport Land Search and Rescue. It's understood Mr van Vuuren was last seen at his Westport home.

Westport LandSAR chairman Ross Cocker said about 17 SAR members had taken part in the operation on Friday and Saturday.

They had helped police scour road ends and roadsides throughout Buller, from Karamea to Heaphy's Mine near Berlins in the Buller Gorge, and along the coastline to south of Charleston.

"It's not a search and rescue operation, it's still a missing person, so we were assisting them mainly with manpower."

A helicopter had spent 80 minutes searching on Saturday, including the Buller coastline north and south of Westport and some old logging roads inland.

He understood police had continued the search yesterday.

Police said today they were concerned for Mr van Vuuren's safety. They appealed for anyone who had information on his whereabouts, or had seen his vehicle - a silver Mazda Tribute, registration FSC702 - to contact the Tasman District Command Centre on 03 546 3895.

- Westport News