Dense, thick bush near Pipiwai, Northland, will be searched again on Friday for a missing man who is hearing impaired and has physical and mental impairments.
A large search and rescue team are still trying to find 58-year-old Kukama Waa despite their best efforts on Thursday.
He was reported missing on Wednesday night after last being seen in the bush area near Pipiwai that morning.
Waa is about 172cm tall and of large build. He is bald and recently lost one of his arms, police say.
He was last seen wearing blue-coloured tracksuit plants and a red shirt.
The search and rescue team are continuing their search around Pipiwai for him on Friday. Another aerial search of the wider bush area around the town is also underway.
"Police believe Mr Waa is very likely to still be in the bush area, as there have been no sightings of Mr Waa since he was last seen in the bush on Wednesday morning," police said.
"The dense, thick bush environment has made it a challenging search operation, but police are continuing to work closely with the local Pipiwai community and do everything we can to try and locate Mr Waa."
Anyone who might have seen him is asked to contact police immediately on 111, quoting event number P049210284.
SHARE ME