Family to continue searching for missing Dargaville man

The missing man's car was found in a gravel pit (right) next to Tangiteroria Bridge. Photo / Google

Police will this morning re-assess their efforts to find a missing Dargaville man after two days of searching on foot, by boat and drone failed to find any trace.

Adrian Berkhout, 61, was last seen around 4.30pm on Wednesday and reported missing on Thursday after family members found his vehicle in a gravel pit next to Tangiteroria Bridge, on State Highway 14 midway between Whangārei and Dargaville.

Searching resumed at first light yesterday by 16 police officers and Northland Land Search and Rescue volunteers.

They covered 15km of Northern Wairoa River banks south of the bridge and were joined on the water by a Te Kopuru-based surf life saving crew using an inflatable rescue boat. A drone was also deployed.

The head of Northland Police Search and Rescue, Senior Sergeant Cliff Metcalfe, said the man's family was planning a private search by boat from Dargaville today. Family members also took part in yesterday's ground search.

Recent rain had made the search challenging.

''The river's running really high in the search area,'' Metcalfe said.

A decision would be made this morning about whether to continue the official search.

■ Police believe Berkhout was in the area where his vehicle was found between 7.30 and 8am on Thursday. They are urging anyone who saw him or his blue Nissan X-trail between 7 and 8.30am on Thursday to call police on 105 and quote file number 200709/9372.