The increasingly desperate hunt for Alex Fisher continued until dark last night and late yesterday police maintained it was still a search and rescue operation. The search will resume today.
So far though there's been no sightings of the boy, who was reported missing at 4.00am on Tuesday morning, as the southern block of the Waitarere Forrest is combed for signs of him.
Last night police released footage of Alex with his brother Eric from CCTV images captured at the Waitarere Four Square about 6.15 on Monday evening. It was the last confirmed sighting of the boy.
It is believed Alex went missing from the Waitarere domain that night and his family reported him missing at 4am.
It's still not known who Alex was with at that time and what he was doing in the area.
While he's not been seen since, his pencil case and inhaler have been found.
Inspector Sarah Stewart issued a public plea for help, asking for anyone who may have seen Alex with his brother on Monday to come forward.
"We're also interested in any sightings of them prior to Monday afternoon."
She said with each passing hour, police grew more worried for Alex.
In a development yesterday a man, who is believed to be connected to the disappearance, appeared in the Levin District Court, charged with illegally possessing a knife in a public place, Forrest Rd, Waitarere, on Monday night.
Forrest Rd is where the search for Alex is centred.
The man was given name suppression and will stay in custody until next week.
The court heard he was likely to face at least one further, unspecified charge.
He appeared in the dock with three policemen flanking him.
He said nothing and kept his head down for much of his appearance.
Later in the day, Alex's family released a statement thanking rescuers for searching for their "son, brother and cherished family member".
"We appreciate the efforts and support from friends, family members and the public," Alex's family said.
"We request that our privacy is respected at this difficult time."
Up to 65 rescuers searched the forest for any sign of the boy yesterday.
As well as the inhaler and pencil case, police were looking at other items found to see if they were of any relevance to the case.
The overnight suspension of the search was because it was impractical to look through the area at night time, although 50 rescuers remained actively hunting for Alex overnight on Tuesday.
The search has involved police sniffer dogs, trying to trace the boy's trail, and police and air force helicopters.
Thermal imaging technology has also been called in to help.
Incident controller Sergeant Bill Nicholson said yesterday afternoon about 80 per cent of the forest block had been combed and the items belonging to Alex were found close together.
Once the block had been completely searched, police would assess were to go next.
Dirty roads criss-cross the block, which includes areas of dense undergrowth.
Parts of the search area were dominated by big tall trees, lots of bushes, and lots of branches on the ground.
Locals in the Waitarere Beach township - population about 500 - have expressed shock that a boy could disappear in the area.
Barry Fitzgerald, Scout leader at St Mary's Scout Group, Levin, which Alex attends, did not want to comment on how capable Alex would be to look after himself in the bush, after police earlier pointed to his Scout experience and described him as a "sensible" boy.
"I haven't done a great lot of experience with him, he's only a young boy in Scouts. It's not as though he's had years of being in Scouting, a long time to learn a lot of skills. He's still only 10 years' old."
Ten is the starting age for Scouts.
Monday
6.15pm: CCTV footage places Alex in the Waitarere Beach Four Square with his brother Eric
Overnight: He goes missing from the Waitarere Domain area
Tuesday
4am: Alex's family report him missing
2pm: Police issue their first public appeal for information about his whereabouts
5pm: An image of the ten-year-old is released
Wednesday
7am: As the search resumes, police say there is still no evidence of foul play
4pm: A man connected to the disappearance appears in the Levin District Court charges with possessing a knife in a public place
5.30pm: Police make public the CCTV footage of Alex with Eric in the Four Square. Alex's family also issues a statement.
- By John Weekes of NZME News Service; additional reporting NZME News Service and Manawatu Guardian
