Tramper missing in Tararua Range 'no risk taker'

Wednesday, 5 June 2019

The search continues for the missing tramper in the Tararua Range.

Darren Myers has a sense of adventure but he is no risk-taker, his family says.

The 49-year-old has been in the Tararua Ranges for more than a week. He set-off well-equipped, with a one-man tent and a four-season sleeping bag capable of keeping him warm in sub-zero temperatures.

Searcher and rescue teams have been looking for him since Sunday, after he failed to return the day before. His last communication was a text message to his wife Kim Shaw sent near Arete Bivvy in the centre of the northern Tararuas last Thursday morning.

The search, now in its fourth day, has been hampered by bad weather, with a low pressure system expected to cross the North Island over the coming days. But his family were holding out hope that he could be found alive.

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Myers believed he had a week-long window of opportunity when he decided to tackle the challenge of the northern crossing through the range.

His brother-in-law Duncan Styles described him as a 'really thorough person' who was not a risk-taker, but liked to go off on solo adventures around the country. He liked to live life to its fullest.

Searchers were still hopeful on Wednesday that with the help of thermal imaging technology Myers could be found alive.

Police search and rescue incident controller Selena Blayney said they were at the mercy of the weather, but would try to get a helicopter up to do more thermal imaging work when conditions allowed.

Missing tramper Darren Myers of Wellington, has been in the mountain range since he set off for his hike in the Tararua Ranges on Tuesday May 28.

The specialist equipment was used for about an hour on Wednesday morning, but found no sign of Myers.

Styles said on Wednesday morning that news the search team was using thermal imaging to scan the landscape was positive.'It's given us a glimmer of hope hearing that the thermal imaging camera is up there now.'

He said Myers' disappearance has been 'very, very difficult' for the family. 'We're all still very upset by the whole thing. It's a very difficult process because there's no real end in sight and we've got a grave sense of loss.'

Myers was due out from Mt Holdsworth on Saturday and a search was mounted on Sunday amid serious concerns for his safety.

Darren Myers' wife Kim Shaw, centre, is hopeful searchers will find her husband who is missing in the Tararua Range. She is supported by her sister and brother-and-law Debbie and Duncan Styles at the Wairarapa Search and Rescue headquarters in Masterton.

Police search and rescue incident controller Sergeant Anthony Harmer said, for safety reasons, they had scaled back the search on Tuesday and had pulled most of the teams out by nightfall.

Myers' wife Kim Shaw told Stuff on Tuesday she was impressed and was made to feel at ease by search and rescue personnel.

'We are staying positive and not giving up hope. We cannot thank the volunteers enough for their hard work and determination to bring Darren home.'

More than 50 volunteers were scouring tracks, ridges, creeks and animal lines but several teams were airlifted out of the range by an Air Force helicopter on Tuesday afternoon.

LOOKING FOR AN ADVENTUROUS LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND

Myers and his wife had moved over from Sawbridgeworth, England less than two years ago with a plan to emigrate permanently.

Wairarapa Land SAR members on the top of the Tararua Ranges as part of the search for a missing Wellington tramper.

Work brought them to Wellington, though they had their sights set on settling in Nelson, Styles said.

The couple had no children.

Styles said Myers was a really positive and focussed person with 'everything to live for'.

Friend Pip Townsend said Myers was an inspiring person who wanted to experience as much as he could.

'He'd say 'I've got an opportunity here, I'm going to take it',' she said.

Some search and rescue teams returning to Hood Aerodrome on Tuesday.

Duncan Styles and Darren Myers during happier times.

Searchers Brendan Davidson and Julie Millar at Wairarapa Search and Rescue headquarters in Masterton after coming in from three days in the Tararua Range.

COLD WEATHER TO CONTINUE

Head of Weather communications for MetService Lisa Murray said over the past week there had been a 'real mix of weather' along the Tararua Range.

A typical winter pattern had set in over the weekend, bringing cold temperatures, fresh snow and icy wind with it.

On Wednesday, LandSAR staff could expect the bad weather to continue with reduced visibility due to rain falling along the range at times.

Snow could drop to 900m on Wednesday evening, with northerly winds expected in exposed places and southerlies over the next 48 hours.

Thursday would bring more cloud which should clear later in the day. The wind would turn nor-westerly, with snow expected around the 1200m mark.