Eli Sweeting, who lives in Port Motueka and is originally from Bristol, was reported missing late on Sunday after failing to return from a solo day trip to Mitre Peak.
His sister, Serena Sweeting, said the family was due to arrive on Friday to join the search, Stuff reports.
“This is an incredibly worrying time,” she wrote in a social media post.
“Thank you so so much to everyone out there looking for Eli. I feel so hopeless being so far away but it’s reassuring the effort going in to find him. If anyone spoke to him please reach out to the police with information.”
Poor weather grounded helicopters yesterday and RNZ reports search efforts have been suspended today because of bad weather.
A heavy rain warning and strong wind watch is in place for the area today.
MetService is forecasting peak rates of rain of 20-30mm/h for Fiordland about and north of Doubtful Sound on Thursday afternon and evening and said thunderstorms were possible.
The orange level warning said streams and rivers may rise rapidly and surface flooding and slips were possible.
- APL/RNZ
