Manawatū River search for missing fisherman proving challenging

Wednesday, 11 August 2021

Police officers and volunteers search for Toru Mizokawa in the ManawatÅ« River on Wednesday.

Rough weather and wide search area is making the search for a missing fisherman in Manawatū difficult.

The search for Toru Mizokawa will continue on Thursday after Wednesday's search efforts were unsuccessful.

The 49-year-old man was believed to be fishing along the Aokautere side of the Manawatū River off Pinfold Rd in Palmerston North on Saturday.

He was reported missing on Monday by his work colleagues when he didn’t show up to his job in Fonterra’s research division.

Toru Mizokawa, 49, has been missing since Saturday.

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A jet boat is launched into Manawatū River to search for missing fisher Toru Mizokawa.

Manawatū Search and Rescue officer in charge Andrew Brooke said dozens of people had been searching the river for Mizokawa since Monday afternoon.

Kayakers, Palmerston North and Horowhenua Search and Rescue volunteers, inflatable lifeboats from Surf Life Saving, jet boats, drone from Fire and Emergency New Zealand, swift water rescue from Palmerston and a helicopter from Rangitīkei Helicopters had put everything they had towards the search efforts, Brooke said.

A jet boat provided by Horizons Regional Council was launched from the Albert St entrance about 10am on Wednesday, probing the surface areas of the river.

Mizokawa had been living in Palmerston North and working at Fonterra for about a year, Brooke said.

His wife remained in Japan. With no family in the city the first to realise he was missing was his workmates.

Mizokawa's car remained at the end on Pinfold Rd, on the eastern side of the river, but it was unclear where he had been fishing, Brooke said.

“There's no accurate last known point and with the river being in flood we don't know exactly where we're supposed to be looking.

“Visibility is pretty rough. Sometimes things float down the river and sometimes they sink. If floating he could be anywhere in the Manawatū.”

With more bad weather forecast, the search could be extended, Brooke said.

“We are in discussions with the police national dive squad but at this stage the river is unsafe for them to search.”

Brooke urged anyone who may have seen Mizokawa on Saturday, such as anglers or dog walkers, to contact police on 105 quoting the file number 210809/7210.