Family 'increasingly worried' as French tourist Pierre Paludet remains missing from Hawke's Bay

Friday, 19 January 2018

Missing French tourist Pierre Paludet caught on CCTV in the days before he went missing.

Fears are mounting rapidly for French tourist Pierre Antoine Paludet, last seen a week ago.

On Friday, Hawke's Bay Police said based on inquiries so far, 32-year-old Paludet and his vehicle were likely in the car park at Haumoana Beach from January 10.

Police said they would continue to liaise with his France-based family, who were 'increasingly worried about Pierre'.

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

Police said Paludet was sleeping in his vehicle and cooking in the area around his car.

Haumoana Beach residents went to police after a car being used by Paludet sat empty in a beach car park for several days.

Police are searching for French national Pierre Paludet.

* The mysterious vanishing of French tourist Pierre Paludet

* Missing French tourist Pierre Paludet's disappearance 'out of character'

* Air and sea searches find no sign of missing French tourist**

Local residents had noticed a build-up of rubbish and his car seemingly abandoned, leading them to call police on Saturday afternoon.

Several searches of the area had failed to locate Paludet.

Police said they would continue to liaise with his France-based family, who were 'increasingly worried about Pierre'.

His lack of contact with them was described as 'completely out of character'.

Police would be based at the Domain car park in Haumoana on Sunday, and urged anybody who might know anything to come forward then.

On Thursday, police gave consideration to a second aerial search for Paludet, if weather permitted over the weekend.

On Wednesday, a former colleague of Paludet 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.

Paludet's brother Alexandre told French publication L'Hebdo de Sèvre et Marne his brother was used to travelling.

'He's a big traveller. He has already been to numerous parts of the world, such as Central and South America.'

Alexandre told the publication his family would visit New Zealand, and were keeping up hope because of Paludet's travelling experience.

He said Paludet did a TransAtlantic crossing on a small boat with friends a few years back.

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