Missing Cook Strait jetskier named as Andrew Walker

By RNZ

A jetskier who went missing in Cook Strait last month has now been named.

Andrew David Walker, 68, of Paraparaumu, did not arrive at Plimmerton, north of Wellington, on his jetski as expected on February 3.

He was trying to cross Cook Strait, a trip that Kāpiti Boating Club said he had done many times.

A jetskier who went missing in Cook Strait last month has now been named as Andrew David Walker, 68, of Paraparaum. Photo / RNZ

Waves in the area at the time were between half a metre to 1m high, but there were strong rips and currents around Cook Rock and the nearby Brother Islands.

Police said hundreds of search hours were put into finding Walker, including air, shoreline and water searches. Police, SAR teams, Coastguard and the Rescue Co-ordination Centre were involved in the searches.

A jetski, believed to be Walker’s, was found a day after he went missing.

Police said they are continuing to offer support to his family during an extremely difficult time.

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