Army personnel have been assisting Police this weekend in a search for missing Brett Hall in Wanganui but there is still no sign of him.
The 47-year-old Palmerston North man was reported missing on Tuesday (31 May) and was last seen on a lifestyle block he owns off River Road, Wanganui. Police know that he conducts possum hunting on that land.
Searches of a 16 square kilometre area by about 20 police and volunteer LandSAR have not located Mr Hall. This weekend six Army personnel with search and rescue expertise have been assisting, particularly to help gain access to some of the more difficult areas in the rugged terrain. A change in the weather which has brought rain and low temperatures has not aided the searches which are continuing today.
As well as searching, Police are trying to piece together Mr Hall’s movements in the days before he went missing.
Senior Sergeant Darcy Forrester who is coordinating the search said: “This is still very much a search and rescue operation to find a missing person. However as time goes by we would be naïve not to consider other, perhaps more sinister, explanations for his disappearance.
“The biggest difficulty we have is a gap of two days between him being seen on the Sunday and reported missing on the Tuesday with no knowledge of his whereabouts or intentions in that two day period. The more we can learn about Mr Hall, his routines and his movements in the days before he went missing, the more we will be able to keep the search focused and locate him.”
Police want to hear from anyone who has seen Mr Hall or his 2004 Toyota Hilux, which is red double cab vehicle with a white canopy, in the last week or two. His vehicle is at his Wanganui lifestyle block but Police haven’t ruled out the possibility that he has left the area in another vehicle. Police also want to hear from anyone who has spoken to Mr Hall recently.
“Someone may have a seemingly insignificant piece of information which will shed some light on his plans and will help us to narrow the search,” said Senior Sergeant Forrester.
Mr Hall is described as European, approximately 182cm tall and medium build. It is not known what he was wearing when he went missing. He has no known medical conditions.
Anyone with information relevant to this investigation is asked to contact Whanganui Police on 06 349 0600.
Media enquiries should be referred to Communications Manager Kim Perks on 027 234 8256.
