Attributable to Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson:

Police can now confirm six people are currently confirmed as unaccounted for, including two teenagers, following yesterday’s landslide at Mount Maunganui.

The youngest of those missing is 15 years old.

We have been unable to establish the whereabouts of three further individuals. While we do not currently believe they were involved in the slip, further enquiries are required to rule it out.

Police can confirm that one person has died as a result of a crash on Tennent Drive, Palmerston North on 2 January.

A cyclist was critically injured in the crash, and sadly died in hospital on Wednesday 21 January.

The death will be referred to the Coroner.

Investigations into the circumstances of the crash remain ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Police are appealing for witnesses of an assault in Nelson earlier this month, to come forward.

On Saturday 10 January, Police received a report that a person had been assaulted the night before [Friday 9 January], around 11pm, on Collingwood Street.

The victim sustained serious injuries and is understandably very shaken by the incident.

Police are wanting to speak with a man and a woman who potentially witnessed the assault and tried to help the victim.

Search efforts are ongoing across the Bay of Plenty as emergency services work to rescue people in slips the region.

Bay of Plenty District Commander, Superintendent Tim Anderson says two rescue operations are concurrently running at Mount Maunganui and Welcome Bay Road.

“Police, alongside Fire and Emergency New Zealand are working to locate and rescue people trapped in a landslide that came down off Mount Maunganui at 9:30am today.

Please attribute to Senior Sergeant Carl Fowlie, Waitematā North Police:

Police are winding down its presence near the Mahurangi River for the day, as part of the search for a man missing near Warkworth.

At 7.41am on 21 January, Police were advised the man had been swept away in water.

While the water level in the river has dropped about a metre today, conditions are still not suitable for further searching.

Police Search and Rescue have been in the area this afternoon.

Police have deployed drones to carry out aerial searches.

Police have arrested 18 people as part of Operation Thor, a targeted operation focused on burglary, theft, vehicle crime, firearms offending and drug activity in the Feilding area.

Over the last two months, Police have carried out a series of search warrants and enquiries and as a result, several arrests have been made, stolen property recovered as well as firearms, ammunition and drugs seized.

Attributable to Inspector Simon De Wit, Acting Wairarapa Area Commander:

Police will maintain a highly visible presence in Masterton on Friday in response to a gang-related funeral scheduled to occur in the area.

We anticipate an influx of gang members travelling into Masterton from across the Wairarapa and other regions to attend the event.

Police are seeking the public’s assistance to locate missing 23-year-old Liam, who has been reported missing from Bulls.

He was last seen in Bulls, on Watson Street and Walton Street between 11am and 2pm on Monday 19 January.

Police are wanting to hear from anyone in the area who might have seen Liam.

Police and his family have concerns for his wellbeing.

He is described as approximately 170cm tall with sandy brown hair. He was last seen wearing a black hoodie, brown trackpants and a small gold chain necklace.

Police can now release the name of the man who died following a water-related incident in Hahei on Monday 19 January.

He was 37-year-old Jack Oliver-Hood, of Mount Eden, Auckland.

Our thoughts are with those close to him at this difficult time.

His death has been referred to the Coroner.

ENDS 

Issued by Police Media Centre

Please attribute to Senior Sergeant Carl Fowlie, Waitematā North Police:

Efforts will continue this afternoon to locate a man reported missing near Warkworth this morning.

Resources from several emergency agencies have been deployed around the Mahurangi River, and we acknowledge their crews’ assistance.

Unfortunately the man remains outstanding.

Police Search and Rescue are still deployed and will carry out shore-based searching near the river this afternoon.