British hiker missing for five days in New Zealand mountains

Police have named a British man missing for five days in a New Zealand mountain range as 49-year-old Darren Myers.

Mr Myers had been due back from a five-day hike in the Tararua range on Saturday, but failed to return.

A search operation began on Sunday, but efforts have been hampered by bad weather, falling temperatures and snow.

Police said on Tuesday that they had “grave” concerns for the hiker’s wellbeing.

The search resumed in a limited capacity on Wednesday, amid ongoing poor weather conditions on New Zealand’s North Island.

Police hope to use a helicopter for thermal imaging if visibility allows.

Mr Myers, a British national, is a resident of New Zealand’s capital Wellington. He had been hiking the Tararua Northern Crossing, a popular trek that can take up to five days. His last communication was a text message sent to his wife on Thursday morning.

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BBC