Family disappointed 'not to bring Jess home' after forest park flyover

Thursday, 28 March 2019

The family of a missing Marlborough woman is disappointed 'not to bring Jess home' after flying over New Zealand's second largest forest park.

Jessica Boyce's mother and cousin flew over the Mount Richmond Forest Park - 166,000 hectares of thick bush and rocky peaks between Blenheim and Nelson - on Thursday morning, hoping to spot any sign of the 27-year-old.

Boyce was last seen nine days ago, but was reported missing on Friday last week. Her red Holden ute was found near Lake Chalice, in the forest park.

Speaking after the flight, her cousin Aaron Goodwin, who travelled up from Dunedin to help with the search, said although disappointed not to spot Boyce, they were 'always realistic about that being the likely outcome'.

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Jessica Boyce's cousin Aaron Goodwin supports Boyce's mother Kay Johnstone before they board a helicopter to search the Mount Richmond Forest Park from above.

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Land around Lake Chalice is steep and covered in vegetation.

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However, they felt reassured by how many people they did see from the helicopter, Goodwin said.

Marlborough businessman Mike Jacomb with a bag of supplies to be dropped to Boyce if she was found and could not be reached.

'If Jess were to wander out of the bush [near] any of the huts … we feel confident she would be seen,' he said.

Goodwin said before the flight the 'daunting' task of searching the forest park was starting to dawn on the family.

The flight path taken by family members on Thursday morning.

'Every time we think we've cleared a big area of space, it dawns on us how vast the land spreads,' Goodwin said.

'It's been very daunting for us, especially when we have no clues as to where in the area she might be.

The family of Renwick woman Jessica Boyce, 27, is concerned for her wellbeing.

'There's just so many possibilities, and we can't wrap our head around it. But being out there searching is therapeutic and helpful.'

Family and friends were focusing their search around Northbank Rd, which went up the Richmond Range. They had followed walking tracks and walked 'about 7 or 8 kilometres' up a nearby river.

Land Search and Rescue members search for missing Marlborough woman Jessica Boyce in bush around Lake Chalice, west of Blenheim, last weekend.

Precision Helicopters and Marlborough businessman Mike Jacomb stepped in to help after the family made a public appeal for people with 'certain items and skill sets' to come forward.

The plan was to take three family members in the helicopter, but they decided to take two, leaving space for Boyce if she was found.

Precision Helicopters co-owner and pilot Neil Andrews said after the flight they flew over Lake Chalice and the Wairau Valley.

'She [Boyce's mother Kay Johnstone] was able to get a mental picture of the vastness of where her daughter could be, which is a huge area,' Andrews said.

'They're obviously very emotional, but it made them think 'we've done something', which felt good to me.'

Jacomb said it was important search efforts continued.

'If we do nothing, we go nowhere. I've been lucky in life, and if I can help someone, then I will,' he said.

Police and LandSAR suspended their searches for Boyce earlier in the week until they had more information.

Marlborough area commander Inspector Simon Feltham said a review of the search efforts was undertaken on Thursday to identify areas for further investigation.

'The missing person investigation will remain active and if any further lines of inquiry come to light, or areas to search, … police will continue to follow up any further information that comes to hand,' he said.

Marlborough LandSAR chairman Peter Hamill said some team members were keen to search the park again over the weekend, but had to be directed by police.

Goodwin said the family were grateful for the helicopter flight. 'Hope is hope, and they've extended this for us,' he said.

The forecast for the Mount Richmond Forest Parked showed it was clear on Friday, with some evening rain on Saturday and Sunday.

Goodwin said the family had found past Facebook posts from Boyce showing she had been in the Lake Chalice area before, suggesting she could know the area.

'We're going through every nook and cranny, and it takes so long to move just a few feet,' he said.

A family statement posted to Facebook on Wednesday asked for long-range walkie talkies, an aerial drone and pilot, and GPS trackers, so that the family could make their search 'safer and easier'.

Goodwin said there were a lot of tracks in the Mount Richmond Forest Park that the family didn't have the correct gear to safely access.

'We have to be mindful of our own safety while we're out there. We don't want to make it harder for professionals out there by getting lost ourselves,' he said.

The family statement on Wednesday also asked the public to look for Boyce at other popular bush areas across Marlborough and Nelson, and for vineyard owners and workers to keep an eye out, as Boyce was fond of being around those areas. The post said Boyce had mental health issues.

Hamill said earlier in the week the team photographed hut books in the park to see who'd been there and, from that, who might know of Boyce's whereabouts.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Blenheim police on 03 578 5279.

Areas to look out for:

 Whites Bay

Wairau River

The Diversion

Rarangi Beach

Robin Hood Bay

Taylor River Reserve

Queen Charlotte Drive

Wairau Lagoons Walkway

 Takaka

Ruby Bay

Richmond