Search resumes for missing West Coast tramper
The search will resume today for a West Coast beekeeper who helped to recover bodies after the Erebus air disaster and was later the victim of a drug smuggling scam after the 75-year-old went missing on a tramp near Greymouth.
Police are concerned for the welfare of Roy Arbon, who is overdue from a solo walk between Mt Davy and Mt Sewell he set out on on Wednesday.
He may be wearing a blue puffer jacket, shorts, and hiking boots, but this is unconfirmed.
"Although he is believed to be an experienced hiker, concerns are growing due to the time overdue, lack of contact, and cold temperatures," a police spokesperson said.
Erebus and Cave Creek rescuer
Arbon worked for the Antarctic division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research when Air New Zealand Flight 901 crashed into Mt Erebus in 1979.
In an interview with NZ History, he described the dangerous recovery work: "We were working on a glacier… probing for crevasses with an ice axe. One thing that stayed with me is the smell of unburnt aviation fuel."
He also helped erect a memorial cross on the crash site amid gale-force winds so strong the helicopter could not be shut down.
"I was asked to help erect a memorial cross on the site. This was done in a gale-force wind so bad the helicopter could not shut down. I believe this was because the wind was blowing so hard, they wouldn't be able to get the machine started without damage to the main rotors."
In 1995, Arbon also assisted in recovering the bodies of 14 people who died when a viewing platform collapsed at Cave Creek.
Caught in a drug scam
Years later, Arbon was caught up in an international drug smuggling scam.
He was detained in Australia after unknowingly transporting a suitcase from Brazil that contained more than 2kg of cocaine.
He was later acquitted at trial in Western Australia. His ordeal was featured in the documentary The Scam.
Anyone with information on Arbon's whereabouts is urged to contact police on 105, quoting job number P063265345.
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Otago Daily Times
18 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Search resumes for missing West Coast tramper
Roy Arbon. Photo: Supplied The search will resume today for a West Coast beekeeper who helped to recover bodies after the Erebus air disaster and was later the victim of a drug smuggling scam after the 75-year-old went missing on a tramp near Greymouth. Police are concerned for the welfare of Roy Arbon, who is overdue from a solo walk between Mt Davy and Mt Sewell he set out on on Wednesday. He may be wearing a blue puffer jacket, shorts, and hiking boots, but this is unconfirmed. "Although he is believed to be an experienced hiker, concerns are growing due to the time overdue, lack of contact, and cold temperatures," a police spokesperson said. Erebus and Cave Creek rescuer Arbon worked for the Antarctic division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research when Air New Zealand Flight 901 crashed into Mt Erebus in 1979. In an interview with NZ History, he described the dangerous recovery work: "We were working on a glacier… probing for crevasses with an ice axe. One thing that stayed with me is the smell of unburnt aviation fuel." He also helped erect a memorial cross on the crash site amid gale-force winds so strong the helicopter could not be shut down. "I was asked to help erect a memorial cross on the site. This was done in a gale-force wind so bad the helicopter could not shut down. I believe this was because the wind was blowing so hard, they wouldn't be able to get the machine started without damage to the main rotors." In 1995, Arbon also assisted in recovering the bodies of 14 people who died when a viewing platform collapsed at Cave Creek. Caught in a drug scam Years later, Arbon was caught up in an international drug smuggling scam. He was detained in Australia after unknowingly transporting a suitcase from Brazil that contained more than 2kg of cocaine. He was later acquitted at trial in Western Australia. His ordeal was featured in the documentary The Scam. Anyone with information on Arbon's whereabouts is urged to contact police on 105, quoting job number P063265345.
RNZ News
18 hours ago
- RNZ News
Search contines for Roy Arbon who beat drug scam and braved Erebus
Roy Arbon. Photo: Supplied The search will resume today for a West Coast beekeeper who helped to recover bodies after the Erebus air disaster and was later the victim of a drug smuggling scam after the 75-year-old went missing on a tramp near Greymouth. Police are concerned for the welfare of Roy Arbon, who is overdue from a solo walk between Mt Davy and Mt Sewell he set out on on Wednesday. He may be wearing a blue puffer jacket, shorts, and hiking boots, but this is unconfirmed. West Coast beekeeper Roy Arbon Photo: Supplied "Although he is believed to be an experienced hiker, concerns are growing due to the time overdue, lack of contact, and cold temperatures," a police spokesperson said. Arbon worked for the Antarctic division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research when Air New Zealand Flight 901 crashed into Mt Erebus in 1979. In an interview with NZ History , he described the dangerous recovery work: "We were working on a glacier… probing for crevasses with an ice axe. One thing that stayed with me is the smell of unburnt aviation fuel." He also helped erect a memorial cross on the crash site amid gale-force winds so strong the helicopter could not be shut down. West Coast beekeeper Roy Arbon Photo: Supplied "I was asked to help erect a memorial cross on the site. This was done in a gale-force wind so bad the helicopter could not shut down. I believe this was because the wind was blowing so hard, they wouldn't be able to get the machine started without damage to the main rotors." In 1995, Arbon also assisted in recovering the bodies of 14 people who died when a viewing platform collapsed at Cave Creek. Years later, Arbon was caught up in an international drug smuggling scam. Photo: The Scam screenshot He was detained in Australia after unknowingly transporting a suitcase from Brazil that contained more than 2kg of cocaine. He was later acquitted at trial in Western Australia. His ordeal was featured in the documentary The Scam . Anyone with information on Arbon's whereabouts is urged to contact police on 105, quoting job number P063265345. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
Tramper missing on West Coast helped retrieve Erebus disaster victims,
Missing tramper Roy Arbon appeared in a documentary The Scam. Photo: The Scam screenshot A West Coast beekeeper who helped to recover bodies after the Erebus air disaster and was later the victim of a drug smuggling scam has gone missing on a tramp near Greymouth. Police are concerned for the welfare of the 75-year-old, who is overdue from a walk up Mt Davy to Mt Sewell, north-east of Greymouth, on Wednesday. Arbon may be wearing a blue puffer jacket, shorts, hiking boots but this is not confirmed. "Police have concerns for Roy's wellbeing with the harsh weather conditions," a spokesperson said. Roy has been missing for more than a day during harsh weather conditions. Photo: Supplied / NZ police Arbon was working for the Antarctic division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in 1979 when Air New Zealand Flight 901 crashed into Mt Erebus on Ross Island. He later detailed his involvement in the recovery effort to NZ History. "Conditions were dangerous. We were working on a glacier, and we did not know where the crevasses were. When these were found they were marked with a flag. I remember carrying a suitcase with all the paraphernalia in it with an ice axe in the other hand probing for crevasses," he said. "One thing that has stayed with me is the smell of unburnt aviation fuel. When the plane went down there was a blast from the aviation fuel but not all of it burnt off. "When I returned to Scott Base after the recovery phase, I was asked to help erect a memorial cross on the site. This was done in a gale-force wind so bad the helicopter could not shut down. I believe this was because the wind was blowing so hard, they wouldn't be able to get the machine started without damage to the main rotors." He also helped to recover the bodies of 14 people who died when a viewing platform collapsed at Cave Creek in Paparoa National Park in 1995. Arbon later fell prey to international drug smugglers . He was detained in Australia after a suitcase he carried from Brazil was found to be concealing more than 2kg of cocaine. Arbon was found not guilty of drug smuggling following a trial at Western Australia's District Court. The story was later told in the documentary film The Scam . Anyone who has seen Roy or has any information on his whereabouts is asked to call police on 105, quoting job number P063265345. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
