The renewed search for a tramper who went missing near Hokitika 18 years ago has turned up "items of interest," Search and Rescue say.
Wellingtonian Connan Bolitho, 21, disappeared south of Arthur's Pass in April 1991 after parting with friends to go over little-used passes and tracks.
His case has been reopened for TV series Missing, which focuses on cold cases of missing and lost people.
West Coast Search and Rescue operations manager Sean Judd said today about 70 searchers were involved in the two-day search which covered "many, many square kilometres" and areas the original search missed.
"We're pretty happy with what we managed to do. We had some objectives and some areas we really wanted teams to check, and they've done that and they've found some stuff," he said.
Mr Judd would not say if the items were remains or personal belongings.
"They're items of interest we're going to take away and have a look at and see how significant they become."
Search teams were realistic about what might be found 18 years on but "stuff hangs round for a long, long time", he said.
"There's a whole pack somewhere out there full of potential exhibits and items."
Mr Judd said the search had been a valuable exercise for his team that was likely to change the way Search and Rescue trained.
Most training exercises were based on hypothetical situations but those involved in the search for Mr Bolitho were "completely engaged," he said.
