Army rallies to support family of missing soldier

The search continued yesterday for the body of 29-year-old soldier who fell from a boat in the course of a training exercise on Lake Moawhango, near Waiouru.

Private Michael Victor Ross has not been seen since he fell from the inflatable craft at around 5.40pm a week ago today.

Ruapehu police area commander Inspector Steve Mastrovich said the police and the NZ Defence Force were doing everything possible to find Private Ross and return him to his family, while family spokesman Charles Hohaia said yesterday that the support the whanau were receiving from the Army, and from the missing man's family home town Kaitaia, was comforting them at a very difficult time.

Michael was born in Kaitaia but lived most of his life in Auckland, although he spent around two years working for his uncle Jack Rogers' Kaitaia plumbing firm Rogers and Rogers, and his family roots are very much in Kaitaia.

His mother Eileen (nee Rogers) is a sister to Jack, Miko, Norman, Winifred and the late Victor; his maternal grandparents are Lizzie and the late Mick Rogers, widely respected as a Pamapuria/Te Paatu kaumatua. He is the son of George Ross, whose parents, Winnie and the late Joe Ross, immigrated from Scotland. Michael has older brother, Rodney, and a partner, Vanessa Frear.

Mr Hohaia said police were liaising daily with members of Michael's whanau, and were providing "excellent" support. That support, along with that of the local iwi, an Army padre, family and friends, was deeply appreciated.

As of yesterday the search was continuing using sonar, the divers who had worked over recent days being rested, although additional divers were being seconded. The Army was showing no signs of giving up the search, Mr Hohaia added.

Private Ross, a rifleman with 1 Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (1RNZIR) based at Linton, enlisted in August 2009 and was posted to 2/1 Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (2/1 RNZIR) at Burnham. He has been described as an experienced soldier, who served in Timor Leste last year.