The popular Rob Roy Glacier track near Wānaka remains closed today as rescue teams continue their search for missing 21-year-old Argentinian man Hector Gaston Artigau.
Emergency services were alerted shortly before 5pm on Thursday that a man had fallen from a rock into the Rob Roy Stream and had failed to resurface, police said in a statement.
A search team was immediately sent to the area but the man could not be found.
Wānaka Search and Rescue (SAR) chairwoman Raewyn Calhaem said the Department of Conservation had closed the popular walk to Rob Roy Glacier until further notice while the search continued.
She said SAR had a "swift water" team at the site.
Sergeant Darren Cranfield said search conditions were good and the canyon area was searched on Saturday.
In an attempt to further the search for the missing man, friends who where with him when he disappeared are spreading the word on Facebook.
One of the friends, Blas Antonelli, confirmed the missing man was 21 years old and had been travelling around New Zealand.
They had met while working as cherry pickers at Leaning Rock Cherries in Alexandra and became good friends, often going on treks and small hikes together.
They were doing the Rob Roy trek when they reached a rocky part of the walk near the river and lost track of their friend.
They then saw his hat in the river and sought help.
"We started to scream and ask for help," Mr Antonelli said.
Mr Antonelli, along with other friends and staff members at Leaning Rock Cherries, have been doing their best to support the search by putting the word out online. They have put up Facebook posts in local groups with an image of the missing man and information about what he was wearing when he disappeared.
They are also urging people to call if they have any information about the man’s family as police were still trying to reach relatives overseas.
A police spokeswoman said the search continued yesterday.
Wānaka Land Search and Rescue Canyon, River Rescue, specialised scuba dive teams and Aspiring Helicopters are involved in the search.
By Rawan Saadi
