Stuff.co.nz report
Ercegs branch off in helicopter search
10 November 2005
The family of missing liquor tycoon Michael Erceg have launched a new helicopter search for him – in a different area to the Government-funded effort.
A family spokesman said they still hoped to find Mr Erceg and his Dutch passenger, Guus Klatte, alive.
While the Rescue Coordination Centre focused its efforts on a new area near Mt Karioi, near Raglan, yesterday, a private detective hired by the family searched the southern Waikato. The family hired investigator Alan Beck at 4am on Tuesday. He wants anyone who reported sightings of the missing helicopter to police to now ring him on an 0800 number.
He believes the last sighting of Mr Erceg's helicopter was near Eltham, where two helicopters paid for by the Erceg family searched yesterday.
Family spokesman Garry Major said "despite the family branching off in their own search", searchers had done a fantastic job. "If (director Peter) Jackson decides to make his next movie a rescue, it should be this one."
Another helicopter from the Rescue Coordination Centre was out searching yesterday, but up to five will complete checking the area today.
Meanwhile, the Government-funded search had almost certainly become the most expensive of its kind, centre spokesman Steve Corbett said.
Hopes were raised yesterday when a search and rescue helicopter spotted a patch of what appeared to be broken foliage near Mt Karioi. A 12-person ground crew was sent in to dense bush to investigate, but had not reached the area by nightfall.
Workers have already spent six days searching for the pair, covering 20,000 square kilometres near Wanganui and Taranaki, with up to 20 helicopters at a time.
"It's almost certainly the biggest aviation search in New Zealand history," Mr Corbett said.
Mr Erceg is the founder of Independent Liquor and New Zealand's ninth richest man.