(Was missing now found)

I am not posting this simply out of concern for James – I’m a little staggered at the abysmal response.

Firstly the Police media report is a little blase about a missing male, and I would question whether the later Stuff report was generated by a journalist or by his family contacting the media.

This man is on his way to work, running late, gets a warning for speeding in Bulls and doesn’t make it to work in Wellington later that evening and is known to have left his cell phone behind in Rotorua.

36 hours later the best we can do is leave this to a few relatives mounting road side searches on possible routes he could have taken.

Given the circumstances I’m reading below I am wondering what the hell we own air force helicopters for (that are sitting a few kilometres away from bulls) or why we have search and rescue teams.

Is this any different to a climber stuck up Mt Taranaki or a German tourist lost in the bush?

Police are becoming concerned for the welfare of a male who hasn’t arrived in Wellington after travelling down from Rotorua.

27 year old, James Wellsley WILLIAMS left Rotorua yesterday (Thursday) morning and was driving to his work in Wellington.

James is driving a 2006 Nissan March coloured Red, Registration Number: GFU665.

James was last seen in Bulls at 5.30pm yesterday (Thursday) when he was stopped by police for a traffic incident. At the time he appeared to (be) acting quite normal and the officer had no concerns for his welfare.

It is now more than 24 hours since James was last seen and his family is very concerned.

James is a male, part maori/caucasian with an olive skin colour. He is about 180cm tall and of muscular build. He has thick curly black coloured hair. When he was stopped by police, he was seen wearing a light coloured t-shirt. A recent photo of James is attached.

Police are asking for anyone who has seen James or the Nissan March to contact their local police station.

Update from Stuff

Family spokeswoman Julie Christine Hill said Williams had left Rotorua to drive to Wellington and was due to start work on the NIWA vessel, the Tangaroa at 7pm on Thursday.
He was running late, she said.

“When the officer suggested James ring work James told him he had accidentally left his phone at home in Rotorua – which he had. He received a warning, and never arrived at work.”

A group of 16 people with seven cars met at Bulls at 6.30am this morning to travel the routes Williams might have taken.

Police Media Report

Search finds no trace of missing German Tourist

Friday, 7 March 2014 – 8:13pm

Tasman

The search for German tourist Christian Ulf Erik PREHN in the Travers Saddle area of Nelson Lakes National Park has found no trace of the missing man.

Teams of experienced searchers and a helicopter crew have spent the last two days scouring the area Mr Prehn was believed to have been in. Searchers were also working in the area earlier in the week but had to retreat when bad weather struck.

Search teams are now completing their final tasks and all are expected out of the area this evening.

Search coordinator Senior Constable Dave Colville said the operation would now go into a limited continuous search phase which will only activate further ground searches when new information comes to light.

He thanked the large team of search and rescue volunteers who had given their time over recent days searching for the young man.

end