Silver suitcase sought in mysterious death

Police want to find a large silver suitcase used by a Hong Kong tourist who died on an Arrowtown walking track over the long weekend.

The death is not being treated as suspicious, but police expect to know more when the man’s autopsy is completed.

Emergency services were called to Sawpit Gully just after 8.10am on Saturday after members of the public found Wai Ming Lai in trouble on the track. Attempts were made to resuscitate him.

A police spokesperson earlier said it was ‘‘unclear at this stage whether this was a medical event’’.

Detective Senior Sergeant Malcolm Inglis said several people had come forward with information about Lai, 51, after a plea by police.

Lai, who arrived in New Zealand from Hong Kong in July, had spent the last week in Wānaka and a week earlier at a backpackers in Queenstown. ‘‘We know he was travelling with a silver suitcase and he was using buses in Wānaka,’’ he said.

Police had made some progress towards identifying Lai’s next of kin in Hong Kong, but progress was slow, Inglis said.

Police still did not know where he was staying in the Queenstown or Arrowtown area before Saturday, how he travelled to the area from Wānaka, nor the location of his suitcase.

The only identifying item Lai had with him when he was found was his passport, which had expired.

It was known that Lai had been to New Zealand three times previously and was due to fly out on October 18.

Inglis said any more information about where Lai was staying, his transport, and any travel companions would help their investigation.

Lai’s death was not being treated as suspicious ‘‘at this stage’’, Inglis said.

‘‘We are still waiting for post-mortem results, so until then, we are treating it as unknown at this stage.’’

Police believed Lai was staying in the Queenstown Lakes District area. They had not found any unattended vehicles or bikes that could have been used by him.

Anyone who had met Lai, accommodated him, or knew anything about him was asked to call police on 105 and quote file 221022/7761.

According to Queenstown New Zealand’s website, Sawpit Gully Trail is a ‘‘short but steep loop with panoramic vistas from the saddle out over the Wakatipu basin’’.