Police consider another aerial search for missing French tourist Pierre Paludet

Thursday, 18 January 2018

Police are giving consideration a second aerial search for missing French tourist Pierre Paludet, who disappeared on Friday and has not been seen since.

Detective Senior Sergeant Martin James said a search and rescue team continued looking through bush areas north of the Haumoana estuary, in Hawke's Bay, on Wednesday.

Consideration was still being given to a further aerial search, if weather permitted, over the weekend.

'Police have visited a number of addresses last night and today, seeking any further information that may assist us with locating Mr Paludet,' James said on Thursday.

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Inquiries were also being conducted outside the Hawke's Bay region to establish Paludet's movements and people he may have been in contact with before he went missing.

Paludet was last seen by a member of the public about 6.30pm on Friday at Haumoana, about 12 kilometres east of Hastings.

On Wednesday, a former colleague of 32-year-old told Stuff he had been backpacking around the country on a working visa.

The woman said he spent about five weeks between March and April as a kiwifruit picker last year with Ōpōtiki Packing and Coolstorage in Te Kaha, in the eastern Bay of Plenty.

It is understood Paludet lived in Vallet, a town of about 7900 people in the Loire-Atlantique region of western France, where he worked as a composite materials engineer.

Police first became aware of his disappearance after locals contacted police about the car he had been travelling in, which was left in a car park for a number of days at Haumoana Beach.

*Anyone with information is being urged to contact Hawke's Bay Police on 06 831 0700 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.