Tramper Missing on West Coast Once Helped Recover Erebus Disaster Victims

Authorities are searching for a 75-year-old West Coast beekeeper, Roy Arbon, who has gone missing during a tramp near Greymouth. Police are expressing concern for his wellbeing, especially given the harsh weather conditions he may be facing.

Arbon, who is overdue from a walk up Mt Davy to Mt Sewell, was last seen on Wednesday. He may be wearing a blue puffer jacket, hiking boots, and shorts. However, these details are not confirmed. Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 105, quoting job number P063265345.

Arbon's life has been marked by remarkable experiences. In 1979, he was working for the Antarctic division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research when Air New Zealand Flight 901 crashed into Mount Erebus on Ross Island. He played a crucial role in the recovery effort, retrieving bodies and navigating dangerous glacier conditions.

In an interview with NZ History, Arbon described the harrowing experience: “Conditions were dangerous. We were working on a glacier, and we did not know where the crevasses were. When these were found they were marked with a flag. I remember carrying a suitcase with all the paraphernalia in it with an ice axe in the other hand probing for crevasses.”

He also recalled the lingering smell of unburnt aviation fuel from the crash site and the harrowing task of erecting a memorial cross in gale-force winds, which was so severe that a helicopter could not shut down.

Later, Arbon was involved in another tragic recovery operation in 1995, when he helped retrieve the bodies of 14 people who died after a viewing platform collapsed at Cave Creek in Paparoa National Park.

Despite his contributions to such recovery efforts, Arbon later became a victim of a drug smuggling scam. He was detained in Australia after a suitcase he carried from Brazil was found to be concealing more than 2kg of cocaine. However, he was found not guilty of drug smuggling in a trial at Western Australia's District Court. His story was later featured in the documentary film The Scam.

Police are now urgently seeking information about Arbon's whereabouts. His disappearance during such extreme weather conditions has raised serious concerns for his safety.

As the search continues, the community is left reflecting on the life of a man who has contributed to some of New Zealand's most challenging and tragic recovery efforts, only to later find himself entangled in a criminal enterprise that would ultimately lead to his innocence being vindicated.