Police and Search and Rescue volunteers were yesterday still searching for a missing pig hunter who had not been seen since Monday.
Ohaupo man Kevin Hayward, 41, was not reported overdue but staff at the Waipapa Dam on the Waikato River called police on Tuesday when they noticed his utehad been parked at the dam since 10am on Monday. Staff also saw an unaccompanied pig dog running around the ute on Monday afternoon.
Search and Rescue volunteers and police from Rotorua, Taupo, Turangi, Tokoroa, Waitomo and Hamilton were yesterday still searching for Mr Hayward.
Police said the man was a regular hunter in the area of pine forest on the eastern side of the Waikato River. He is said to be well organised, well equipped and experienced.
Up to 45 people have been involved in the search, assisted by two Land Search and Rescue dogs, a police dog, the Youthtown Rescue Helicopter and the Waikato River Harbourmaster.
On Wednesday a second dog belonging to the man was found on the western side of the Waikato River a little way upstream of the dam. Three dogs are still unaccounted for. The two dogs which were found were wearing tracking collars and it is thought the other dogs were also wearing them, but this has not helped find them.
A search base has been set up near the Waipapa Dam and the search was being managed from there yesterday. There is no cellphone coverage in that area.
If anyone has any information which might help this search please call the Tokoroa police station (07) 885 0100.
