Source: Radio New Zealand
Police search for missing Wellington man Philip Sutton. RNZ / Mark Papalii
A body has been found during the search for Wellington man Philip Sutton, who disappeared when floodwaters surged through his home.
Search teams, including the dive squad and a dog unit had been searching for Sutton who disappeared from his South Karori Rd home on Monday.
Police were now working to recover his body.
Sutton’s silver Suzuki Swift was found by police just before 11am on Wednesday, and then his body was found about 12.30pm.
They said there was a “substantial distance” between the two.
They said it was too early to determine how he came to be where he was found.
The water level was “extremely high” and they now needed to piece together the events that led to his death.
The car had sustained moderate damage, considering the treatment it was subjected to.
Tuesday brought more rain, and the search was paused due to unstable stream banks, variable and fast-moving water, debris and damaged terrain.
But on Wednesday, the search got underway just after 8am.
The search got under way again on Wednesday morning. RNZ / Mark Papalii
Wellington District Prevention Manager, Inspector Fleur de Bes, asked members of the public to respect safety advice and allow teams to work safely at the scene.
She said Philips’s family were in close contact with police. They had expressed thanks for the public’s concern and support, but asked for privacy.
Philip Sutton NZ Police/Supplied
Inspector Dean Silvester told RNZ the search conditions were challenging.
The location was semi-rural, he said, and there were concerns around debris, water levels, bank subsidence and wastewater contamination.
At the scene, debris could be seen in trees more than a metre off the ground. “So that gives some indication of the ferocity,” Silvester said.
Police had collected the bumper of a silver car from the scene, but Silvester said they had not yet been able to link it to Sutton’s vehicle.
Police loading the bumper of a silver car into a van. RNZ / Kate Green
Already, police had advised people not to take matters into their own hands and search for Sutton on their own.
bank subsidence and wastewater contamination. RNZ / Mark Papalii
However, a group of volunteers were at the scene on Tuesday afternoon. One told RNZ searchers, responding to a call on social media, had found an item of clothing and a bag – although these were not confirmed as belonging to Sutton
Silvester said given the severity of the scene itself, they would “strongly suggest that doesn’t occur”.
The official search had also turned up some “items of interest”, Silvester said, but he couldn’t confirm what those items were.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
