Family trying to stay positive

Police and LandSAR search teams will return to rugged north Taranaki bush today to look for Karl Roberts, more than a week after he disappeared.

The 31-year-old hasn’t been seen since he crashed his Subaru Impreza on Uruti Rd about 1.30pm on August 1.

While the official search for Roberts was suspended two days after his car was found down a bank near a stream, that runs parallel to the road, family and friends have continued to scour the area.

Senior Sergeant Thomas McIntyre said Roberts’ disappearance remained a mystery but confirmed official teams would again search the area.

‘‘We’ll be checking out a couple of points of interest.’’

Concerns for Roberts’ well-being increased the longer time went on, McIntyre said, and he encouraged anyone who had seen or heard from him to contact police.

Roberts’ mother Debra said 200 flyers had been put in letter boxes between Urenui and Mt Messenger yesterday asking residents to check their properties and buildings for any unusual activity that could indicate his whereabouts or where he had been. ‘‘Karl may be injured or sheltering.’’ She said the family had used a private helicopter to help in the search on Tuesday while ground crews of locals, including his twin brother Brenton, continued to look for signs of him.

‘‘There’s just a lot of people doing a lot everyday to help out, it’s been outstanding.

‘‘Some people are here everyday, while some are just doing what they can when they can.’’

Debra said the bad weather had hindered the search and not knowing what had happened to her son was starting to take its toll on the family.

‘‘It’s a scenario that was never expected.’’

Roberts’ shoes were found stuck in mud on a track the other side of the stream, about 3km from where his car was discovered last Thursday, but since then the trail had gone cold.

‘‘That has been the most frustrating thing that we just can’t find anything, there has been no leads as to what has happened to him.’’

However, Debra said the family was trying to stay positive that Roberts, who is believed to have had some camping gear with him and some survival skills, would be found alive.

‘‘We are, we have to be, you just don’t know what has happened.

‘‘We would like to think that there is going to be something positive to say.’’

The Uruti Interest Group is setting up a Givealittle page to help fund a helicopter to continue the search.