Lost in Tongariro: Man’s final call

Vincent Taurima was sitting next to a fire when he rang his father to tell him: ‘‘I don’t think I’m going to survive another night.’’

The 21-year-old Palmerston North man had already spent a cold night in Tongariro National Park, and was facing another, when he made that final call.

That was 18 days ago. Taurima and his friend Hakopa Ngaronoa had become lost in the bush on a track off Tree Trunk Gorge Rd.

His sister Ryder August is now pleading for the search to continue.

Police warned on day five that hope was diminishing and by day 12, it was said it would take a miracle for the men to be found alive. The search has since been scaled back.

But August still believes her brother is alive. ‘‘The search has kind of come to a halt. There was momentum there but it’s just – I don’t know – dwindled off,’’ she said.

‘‘We just want to put the message out there that these boys are still missing, and any help offered would be greatly appreciated.’’

The pair had fled police after refusing to stop while driving a stolen car on State Highway 1 about 3pm on Saturday, August 12.

They careened down Desert Rd before ditching the car and evaded police by seeking refuge in the bush.

The first the family knew of this was after Taurima phoned them on the Saturday evening.

August has shared the words of his final phone call as she pleaded for the search to continue.

‘‘They had a fire going, and the last communication was on the Sunday. That was between my brother and my father. My brother stated he didn’t think he was going to survive another night,’’ she said.

‘‘It was quite disheartening to hear.’’

August said the call hammered home how serious the situation had become.

She was thankful to everyone who helped in the search, but with police, search and rescue, and volunteer searches kept separate, she said the family were left with a lot of questions.

‘‘It just makes us feel like we’ve been abandoned, ignored,’’ she said.

But, the family would keep searching. ‘‘My parents are adamant to stay there and not come back home until they’re recovered [my brother], whatever that may mean.’’

August said it now felt like a missing persons case, but Vincent had saved her life before, and she was determined to do the same.

When she was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2012, Vincent was August’s reason to keep fighting.

‘‘It’s different being on the other side. He was with me during a rough time when I didn’t know if I was going to live or not.’’

‘‘He had a heart of gold and a beautiful nature. From the public eyes, from the outside, he was quite off-putting, for some. Really he was genuine, beautiful.’’