Te Papa CEO one of missing trampers

Te Papa chief executive Seddon Bennington is one of two trampers missing in the snow hit Tararua Ranges in the lower North Island.

Police have named Dr Bennington, 61, chief executive of the national museum since 2003, but would not identify his 54-year-old female tramping companion because not all her family members had been notified. However, they said she was a family friend.

A search was launched for the pair when they failed to return from a tramping trip yesterday, police spokeswoman Kim Perks said.

They were last seen on Saturday afternoon by other trampers on the track above Field Hut. Dr Bennington had tramped in the area before and as far as police were aware, they were adequately equipped.

Snow is waist-deep in some parts of the ranges, making searching difficult.

Four search teams went into the hills today, but by nightfall they had not found any sign of the missing pair.

Five more teams from Taranaki, Wellington and Masterton would join the search at first light tomorrow, with the air force assisting in getting the teams into the ranges, Ms Perks said.

Metservice forecaster Jared Barrow said the high winds, heavy rain and snow that was slowing the search was likely to continue for the next day.

"If things are lucky, most probably tomorrow evening there will more of an improvement," Mr Barrow said.

"The wind dies away, the southerlies die away and hopefully all the precipitation moves out to the east, but during the overnight period until tomorrow afternoon or evening, it's still going to be problematic weatherwise."

- NZPA