A helicopter and dive team yesterday recovered Queenstown man John Beckenridge's vehicle from the sea at the foot of a cliff near Curio Bay.
Mr Beckenridge (64) and Mike Zhao-Beckenridge, have been missing since March 13.
A neighbour, who asked to be referred to as Ant, told the Otago Daily Times he had known Mr Beckenridge for seven years.
''I'd go across and have beers and ... chat [with him].
''He's a good guy ... a very devoted father ... everything he did was for Mike or with Mike.
''Mike came and stayed with us on the odd occasion - he's a happy wee lad.''
Ant said Mr Beckenridge, a helicopter pilot, had worked month-on, month-off in Papua New Guinea until a year ago.
At that time, he gained full custody of Mike and was ''working through the ... separation management and things''.
''The day he left he led us to believe he was off to visit Invercargill to talk to a lawyer about custody.
''It's a horrible thing, to be honest.
''... He was devastated [about] the decision not to be allowed to talk to [Mike] or see him for three months. It was just crazy.
''I hope they're safe and well somewhere. And happy,'' he said.
Police say it is believed he picked up Mike, a former Remarkables Primary School pupil, from his Invercargill school on March 13, in breach of a Family Court parenting order.
