The family of Runanga man Martin O'Brien, who has been missing for more than four days, hope he is not lying injured and incapacitated somewhere.
The family appealed today for any sightings of Mr O'Brien and his blue Mazda to be reported to the police immediately - as family, friends and police focus on finding the car in order to narrow down the search area.
Mr O'Brien, an experienced bushman in his 60s, has not been seen since getting petrol in Greymouth just before 9pm on Sunday. He was driving a blue 2001 Mazda Tribute, registration GAS593.
He unexpectedly left his residence in Runanga about 8.30pm saying, "I'm going bush," his daughter Cherise Fletcher says.
By this morning, the only sighting of him was at the Greymouth Z Service Station just before 9pm on Sunday, and no further clue of his whereabouts had yet come to light.
"Our concern is that he may be injured and unable to get home. Especially with him being out last night now that the rain has come in," Ms Fletcher said.
"It's so hard because we don't know a lot... He said he is going bush and he took off."
There were no known underlying medical concerns, but the family was extremely worried.
It was possible he may have started walking in the dark on Sunday night, but it seemed unlikely given his experience, Ms Fletcher said.
"He's pretty bush smart and would plan ahead. It's out of character."
Mr O'Brien did not have a cellphone with him, and there had been no further activity in his bank account apart from the petrol transaction on Sunday.
Ms Fletcher said it was also unlike her father not to check in with family, friends or workmates.
"It's very out of character for him not to show up to work, or call in to work or to contact his family."
There was nothing to suggest he had gone off in a particular direction on Sunday night.
While his vehicle was seen heading towards the Cobden Bridge, he may have doubled back through the centre of town and stopped somewhere overnight before going elsewhere on Monday.
West Coast police, friends and associates of Mr O'Brien and his family have been checking every known road end and track start.
Hopefully someone would spot his Mazda which would give them a clear area to search in, Ms Fletcher said.
She appealed for local residents to scout out any known track entry, roadend or layby in their area, as a confirmed sighting of her father's car would be the breakthrough they needed: "please check".
If anyone did spot the vehicle, they should not touch it until police arrived and were able to gain Mr O'Brien's scent using a tracker dog.
Her father knew of so many tracks across the region it was possible they had not yet thought of a particular location to look in, and again public help might be the key, Ms Fletcher said.
Senior Sergeant Brent Cook, of Greymouth, said at this point police were doing everything they could, combing the entire region to sight the car.
"We're going back to do some further inquiries back with the family to get some further information," he said this morning.
They were also monitoring all known road and track ends for the missing car.
Mr Cook said until they had a positive sighting of the Mazda they were not planning aerial surveillance, given the topography and huge area.
"Our best thing is if someone sees the vehicle, and that he has gone for a walk up a track ... the best thing we're looking for is a car at the start of a track."
- Staff reporter
