Cyclone Gabrielle: Police appeal for help tracking missing man

Tuesday, 28 February 2023

Joseph Ahuriri's family have been searching for him since the cyclone hit Hawke's Bay.

Police are appealing for help tracking the movements of missing man Joseph Ahuriri who has not been seen or heard from by whānau since Cyclone Gabrielle hit.

The number of people uncontactable since the cyclone has dropped from five to three, but there was still no information about the man now deemed missing.

'For the family of Joseph Ahuriri, who we have sadly still not been able to locate, I know for his family … a really hard time for them,” Eastern District Commander Superintendent Jeanette Park said.

Ahuriria was last heard from on the Monday night that Cyclone Gabrielle hit. He had been visiting whānau in Hawke’s Bay and was planning to head back to Gisborne but as conditions deteriorated, he decided to stay in a motel in Napier.

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Police had made several inquiries in relation to his disappearance, and at this stage did not believe it was cyclone-related, but this couldn’t be discounted.

Mike and Joseph Ahuriri. Joseph has been missing since the time of the Hawke’s Bay floods but police don’t think his disappearance is flood-related.

At a Civil Defence briefing in Hastings on Tuesday, Park said it was “incredibly important” police were able to track his movements.

“Until we get further information we will keep knocking on doors and talking to people until we can locate Joseph.”

However, brother Mike Ahuriri reject any notion that his brother was not one to engage with authorities.

“I know my brother. As I said, he hasn’t gone anywhere,” he told TVNZ on Monday.

“I still feel him here. My family up top would have told me if he’s gone or not.”

Mike Ahuriri: ‘I know my brother. As I said, he hasn’t gone anywhere.’

Police on Sunday sent out a statement saying eight people remained uncontactable. Those people included “those who, for a variety of reasons, do not engage with authorities”.

The release did not specify whether Joseph Ahuriri was included and a spokesperson from the police media centre on Tuesday stressed they said the eight “included” people who did not want to engage with authorities.

“This was not meant to suggest that it applied to all eight.”

But to Mike Ahuriri, his brother had been misrepresented by being included in the eight.

“The problem is, it’s just what the police said – the eight that were missing don’t want to be found, which is bullshit,” he told TVNZ.

“I know Joe wants to be found. He’s got kids, his partner has been waiting for him.”

Police on Monday downgraded the number of uncontactable to five, plus Ahuriri, who was now deemed missing.

“Joseph was previously reported uncontactable, and is currently being treated as a missing person,” the police statement said.

“While Joseph has had no contact with family or police since the cyclone, inquiries to date suggest it is unlikely that his disappearance is cyclone-related, although this cannot be fully ruled out.

“Police are continuing to make enquiries with family and associates to establish his exact movements and current whereabouts”.