Hundreds join search for missing 5-year-old boy in Gisborne

The search for a 5-year-old autistic boy missing in the rural Hangaroa district of Gisborne is back under way, with search and rescue dogs being deployed.

The alarm was raised at 4pm on Sunday.

RNZ has been told up to 300 people from the area joined in the search for Khyzah, supporting police and rescue teams from Wairoa and Gisborne.

It was called off around midnight.

Family and friends of Khyzah - or possibly Kaizer, according to police - who lives on a remote sheep and cattle station, have continued to look throughout the night.

In an update on Monday, Tai Rāwhiti area commander Inspector Darren Paki said multiple search teams were on the ground and a helicopter had been deployed.

"Search and rescue dogs are also being deployed, along with other specialist search groups.

"The search is focused on the area around Tiniroto Road in the vicinity of Bushy Knoll Road."

Paki said there had been an "overwhelming outpouring of support from the community, with many people turning up wanting to help.

"We appreciate there are many people keen to help get Kaizer home to his family.

"At this stage, we are asking that only those with search and rescue skills/experience come forward."

'We're looking for footprints'

A police officer helping conduct the search said people offering help have the right intention, but those who were not trained could be hampering search efforts.

About 200 people had joined the search, and that was about all that could be managed, said detective sergeant Wayne Beattie.

"It makes it awkward for us if members of the public turn up and just aimlessly wander where they think he might be.

"I know their heart's in the right place, but we're looking for footprints, we're looking for discarded pieces of clothing, we're looking for any sign, and potentially the people who aren't managed are contaminating it for us."

After fog cleared this morning, the conditions were ideal for searching, Beattie said.

There were a lot of waterways around, and the main one had been gated off so if Kaizer was in the water, he would be stopped getting any further downstream.

A dive squad and swift water rescue team were also at the scene and could search in "areas of high probability", he said.

Autistic children tend to hide and not respond to calls, making the search more difficult, Beattie said.

A woodshed on the property where the boy lived before going missing is being used as the base of operations.

Police earlier said the boy was wearing "a green hunting and fishing long-sleeve top, a nappy, no shoes, and may be wearing black pants with skeleton bones at the front".

Local farmer Alex Campbell told Morning Report a missing child was every family's and every community's "worst nightmare".

He was notified of the boy's disappearance late Sunday afternoon and there was a scramble from the local community to mobilise and search where they could into the night.

The terrain had "everything imaginable" - including waterways, steep hills and forestry.

It was also like "a needle in a haystack", Campbell said.

Campbell said he believed there was hope in finding the boy if he was on land.

Jenny Law, who lived on Tiniroto Road, said the community was "gutted". She did not know Kaizer, but her two sons were out searching and she was preparing food for the search party.

"Just so sad. It's tragic," she said. "As you do in a small community, we all rally around ... not many people may know them, it doesn't really matter. It's a kid, a four- or five-year-old kid."

"We've got find him."

Hundreds of people were out looking, Law said. A bus load had come from Uawa Tolaga Bay, and there were lots of cars heading towards the search area.

"I did see a couple of the searchers that were on the road as I came down, and they said that they have searched absolutely every nook and cranny that they can possibly find around the house.

"They've just got to widen their search area now and see if they can find the poor boy."

The terrain was hilly and rugged, and the creeks full of water after lots of rain, but the community would not give up, she said.

"[I'm] just hoping that he's snuggled up somewhere under a tree or somewhere warm. He's got to be found today."

Search and rescue was back this morning and ground teams had started searching again - with every farmer in the area also out helping.

In a statement, the Hastings-based Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter said it was put on stand-by as the appropriate aircraft to help in the search because of its on-board thermal imaging equipment.

"After fog conditions had improved, the Lowe Corporation helicopter arrived at the site just before 7.50am and conducted an initial 45-minute search before heading to the Eastland Helicopter Rescue Trust's Gisborne hangar to refuel.

"They then rejoined the search, which was continuing at the time of writing (9.45am).

"The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter team and Eastland Helicopter Rescue Trust are currently exploring options around appropriate thermal imaging equipment for the region."

Anyone with information is asked to call 111 and reference event number P059617641.

Anyone with skills who can help with the search is asked to call Gisborne Station on 06 869 0200 or come into the front counter.