A large-scale search will commence tomorrow morning (Tuesday February 11) as police and Wānaka Search and Rescue (SAR) continue their work to locate a man reported missing in a river in Mt Aspiring National Park last Thursday. 

Today police carried out extensive planning and preparation for a large-scale search commencing at 7am on Tuesday, a police spokesperson said.

“Specialty search and rescue units including Land SAR canyon, river rescue, and sub alpine SAR will be in the area around Rob Roy Stream as we work to locate the missing man,” the spokesperson said.

“The search will also involve an aerial scan of the Rob Roy Stream area in its entirety, and underwater cameras.

“We have yet to exhaust every conceivable possibility and will endeavour to do this to our full capability.”

Police thanked all the volunteers involved in the search and Aspiring Helicopters.

Artigau Héctor Gastón, a 21-year-old from Pergamino, Buenos Aires, Argentina, has been named by media as the man swept away last week.

His friends posted on social media that he was last seen on Thursday at around 4:30pm, approximately 600 meters from the Upper Lookout Rob Roy (near the river), Mt Aspiring National Park.

PHOTO: Wānaka App

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