The disappearance of preschooler Lucas Ward has "ripped at the heart" of the Gisborne community.

Gisborne police were again checking the Waimata River for missing boy Lucas Ward this morning, despite being "99 per cent sure" he wasn't there.

Police looking for Gisborne 4-year-old Lucas Ward have been searching wardrobes in homes near where the youngster disappeared.

Police searching for missing Gisborne boy Lucas Ward have for the first time admitted he may have been the victim of foul play. They also want two kayakers seen at the time of Lucas' disappearance to come forward.

The mother of missing Gisborne boy Lucas Ward believes he may have got lost following a dog and been forced to shelter somewhere.

The search for three men missing in the Southern Ocean has been called off, with rescuers saying their chance of survival is 'nil'.

Three bodies have been found and three crew are still missing after a NZ chartered trawler sank in the Southern Ocean with 51 crew on board.

The 69-year-old pig hunter who went missing last night near Wanganui has been found safe and well.

Police dive squad members continue to search for a Northland man presumed drowned after he tried to row across a bay in rough weather.

Lying upside down with her scalp gashed open and an arm pinned under her friend's car, 15-year-old Zoe Hendriks came within minutes of not getting the help she so seriously needed.

The death of an Air NZ pilot, found after he went missing on a bush walk last week, is "not suspicious", say Hong Kong police.

The body of an Air New Zealand pilot who went missing a week ago while trekking in rural Hong Kong has been found, police said today.

Hong Kong police will continue to look for missing Air NZ pilot until at least tomorrow night despite reports that the search has been scaled back after six days of searching.

A hat found in the search for an Air New Zealand pilot missing in Hong Kong is not his, local police say.

Three people have been rescued at an east Auckland beach.