Attribute to Otago Lakes Central Area Prevention Manager, Senior Sergeant John Fookes:
Efforts are ongoing as searches continue for missing 47-year-old Erika Rodrigues Coelho near Queenstown.
Erika is a Brazilian national currently residing in Queenstown. Police were made aware of her disappearance on Sunday 20 September after she had not been seen or heard from since Friday 18 September.
A Search and Rescue operation was launched with the assistance from Land Search and Rescue volunteers, Coastguard Queenstown, drones, and a helicopter.
On Monday 21 September, Erika’s rental vehicle – a white Toyota RAV4 with a black roof, registration RKM122 – was found at Skippers Saddle near Coronet Peak. It has been established that the car was parked there sometime during the afternoon or evening of Friday 18 September.
Coastguard Queenstown's underwater drone has been used by one of their volunteers to search a mountain tarn (pond) near Skippers Saddle.
Land Search and Rescue volunteers have spent hundreds of hours searching the Shotover, Devil’s Creek, and other nearby catchments, as well as points of interest and routes that could have been taken by Erika from where the vehicle was left.
Police would like to acknowledge the efforts of the volunteers who, in some cases, have forgone employment opportunities and other significant commitments. They have also been involved in other search and rescue operations during this period.
Sadly, Erika has not been found.
Police are urging anyone with information to come forward – we want to stress that even the smallest amount of information can make a huge difference to our investigation and finding Erika.
If you have seen Erika since Friday 18 September, or saw the white Toyota RAV4 on that Friday or the days leading up to it, please contact 105 – either over the phone or online. Any sightings of her in the moment should be reported by calling 111 immediately.
Please use reference number 260921/8173.
Should anyone want to provide information anonymously, you can do so through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
