West Coast beekeeper Roy Arbon. Photo: Supplied
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 are undertaking search activity north-east of Greymouth in relation to the missing tramper."
Those involved included police Search and Rescue teams, LANDSAR volunteers from Greymouth and surrounding areas, and a Search and Rescue dog and they were encountering "alpine conditions".
"Teams are canvassing areas and tracks the tramper may have taken. Although the 75-year-old is believed to be an experienced hiker, there are concerns for his well-being given the length of time he has been overdue with no contact and the cold temperatures."
Roy Arbon has been missing for more than a day during harsh weather conditions. Photo: Supplied / NZ police
Antarctic work after Erebus crash
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.
Missing tramper Roy Arbon appeared in a documentary The Scam. Photo: The Scam screenshot
"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.
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