Delivered
Nuku Piripi has been missing since 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
A small community in Marlborough gathers in the search for Nuku Piripi, who has not been seen since he took a ride on his quad bike on Tuesday afternoon.
A LandSAR Marlborough volunteer said bad weather had prevented a helicopter from assisting in the search, but there were about 40 people on the ground scanning an area west of Havelock.
The volunteer said two dog teams were involved in the search for Piripi because the wet weather made the terrain difficult for the search teams.
Meanwhile, volunteers in the township prepared hot food and distributed it to the search groups.
Ricky Wilson / Stuff
The Havelock community joins forces in the search for Nuku Piripi.
Piripi, 40, left Tuesday afternoon without his phone and keys, which was reportedly “not good” for him.
Police have confirmed that his green quad – the older Kawasaki 300 – was found by search teams on Wednesday at 4 p.m. – 24 hours after he was last seen.
It is believed the quad was undamaged when it was found on a track off Wilsons Rd, between Havelock and Canvastown.
Piripi wore a yellow hi-vis jacket and white rubber boots.
Police are asking anyone who saw a quad bike driven by a person matching this description, near Kaiuma Bay Rd, State Highway 6 or Wilsons Rd, Havelock, on Tuesday between 3 and 6 PM, to contact them.
Police and his family are concerned for Piripi’s well-being and would like to see him return home. Anyone with information is requested to contact police at 105 and quote the event number P051359790.