Dozens of West Aucklanders answered a call for help today for a French family whose son is missing in the region.
Eloi Jean Rolland has not been since early March and today the organiser of a search for him was overwhelmed by the response.
New Zealand’s closed borders mean the family of the teenager can’t fly out to help in the search.
But a small army turned out today in wet weather, keeping a safe distance from each other but resolute in their need to help.
“To have the lockdown as well and the French family unable to come out here, I can't even comprehend what that must be like,” said one volunteer.
“We would like other people if our kids were lost overseas, that they would make an effort to look,” said another.
The turnout was overwhelming for the organiser who had made an appeal on Facebook.
“I know that you guys if my kid was missing, I know that 100 per cent, New Zealanders would have my back,” says Cilla Isara, search organiser.
The group set of into the dense bush area where the 18-year-old student was last seen on March 7.
CCTV footage shows Mr Rolland catching an early train at Britomart, arriving in West Auckland at about 7.30am. From there he set off on foot, phone data putting him in the Piha area after 9.00am.
The focus of today’s search was for any sign of him on the road side or a number of tracks he could have taken through the bush.
There have been no signs of him until a t-shirt was discovered in April more than 10km away in Karekare - police are now focusing in that area.
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