A sonar target picked up during a private survey of a West Coast lake has prompted police to launch a fresh search for a plane that disappeared with seven people on board almost 48 years ago.
The Piper Cherokee Six, registration ZK-EBU, vanished on a scenic flight from Dunedin to Queenstown and Milford Sound on December 29, 1978.
It was last seen flying past Milford Sound – it's vanishing act a complete mystery with nothing of the plane ever found.
Seven aboard scenic flight
Those on board were Edward James Sinclair Morrison, 28, Earl Bloomfield Stuart, 40, Elizabeth McGregor Stuart, 37, David John Stuart, 18, Alec Davidson Stuart, 38, Rosie Stuart, 37, and David Hogg, 20.
Police will lead a multi-agency operation at Lake Moeraki, northeast of Haast, from Monday after an object identified in the survey was warranting a closer look.
Acting Inspector Mark Kirkwood – in charge of the operation – said there was no confirmation yet that the object was the missing aircraft.
"Our objective is to safely assess the location, gather evidence and determine whether there is any connection to ZK-EBU."
If an object is found, specialist dive personnel will carry out verification work and collect evidential material to help with identification.
The operation will draw on the Royal New Zealand Navy, the Police National Dive Squad, Coastguard West Coast and St John, with West Coast Police Search and Rescue coordinating.
Police asked the public to stay clear of the area while personnel and equipment were moving.
Families 'still grieving' after 48 years
Police acknowledged aviation researcher Gavin Grimmer, whose years of research and analysis fed into the information now being examined.
Grimmer told 1News he had been heavily involved in the search and said the families, his team of volunteers and he were "completely blown away" that police, the military and Coastguard were still prepared to put in the effort after so many years.
"The effort the police, military, and coastguard are still prepared to put in to, hopefully, bring about finality to the families, and put an end to this long overdue mystery, is much appreciated by the still grieving families."
He defended decisions made by authorities at the time of the disappearance, saying they had been under pressure to save lives and could act only on the information available then.
"They don't have the luxury of time that we later now have to gather all the data – most not available to them at the time – and adjust their thinking of where the missing souls tragically ended up."
Volunteers had spent years piecing together further information, he said, working out possible scenarios for what may have happened and then searching methodically to rule each one out before moving to the next.
"After the search, all will be revealed."
Kirkwood said police were keeping in contact with family members throughout.
"Everyone involved wants to find these people and bring them home,"
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