Police and whānau are urgently seeking the whereabouts of 36-year-old Kory-Dean Wirihana, who has gone missing after vanishing at Auckland Airport.
Wirihana was scheduled to fly to Christchurch on Friday morning to attend a netball tournament.
According to the family, he checked in for his flight and cleared security at Auckland Airport’s domestic terminal but never boarded the plane.
The family last heard from him about 4am on the day of his departure.
Since then, all attempts to reach him have failed.
“Our brother last made contact at 4am this morning,” a family member wrote on social media.
“He checked in for his flight, cleared security, but never boarded. He was going to Christchurch for a netball tournament and never arrived.”
The post also noted that Wirihana’s phone and luggage have been handed in to the airport’s lost property office, and he currently has no vehicle after his car was reportedly stolen a few weeks ago.
With no phone, no transportation and no confirmed sightings since the early hours of Friday morning, his family believes he has “literally disappeared from the airport”.
They also expressed concern for Wirihana’s mental health, saying he had been struggling following the recent loss of his husband.
“Come home bro, we’re all waiting to hear about how you pranked us all.”
Police have echoed the family’s concerns and are appealing to the public for help locating him.
“Kory was due to catch a flight yesterday morning but did not get on the plane. His family and police are seriously concerned for his welfare and want to know he’s safe.”
Wirihana is described as being 178cm tall, of thin build, and is believed to be on foot.
If anyone has seen Wirihana or has information about his whereabouts, they are urged to call police on 111, quoting file number 250418/7495.
For non-urgent information, contact police on 105.
Members were seen performing a haka as pallbearers carried his coffin into the clubhouse.