Eloi Rolland's Parents Return to New Zealand in Search for Their Missing Son

August 1, 2025 — After nearly five years of searching, the parents of Eloi Rolland, a French teenager who vanished in New Zealand in 2020, have returned to the country in the hope of finding their son. Thierry and Catherine Rolland, who had previously come to New Zealand in 2022, have now focused their efforts on the South Island following a new lead.

Eloi, who was 18 at the time of his disappearance, had arrived in New Zealand in 2019 to study English. His life in the country, however, began to unravel due to a series of personal and professional challenges. He faced difficulties with his host family, struggled with mental health, and was even fired from two hospitality jobs. His final days in New Zealand were marked by a promise to his mother: to collect sand from Piha Beach as a souvenir before returning home on March 20, 2020.

On the morning of March 7, 2020, Eloi used Google Maps to plan his route to Piha, catching a bus and a train before walking 11 kilometers to the area. He was last seen on CCTV at Britomart Train Station in Auckland. Despite extensive police investigations and multiple search efforts, Eloi's whereabouts remain unknown. The police investigation into his disappearance remains open, with no evidence pointing to foul play.

According to a recent advertisement in a Central Otago newspaper, the Rolland family has received a new lead: a French tourist claimed to have spoken to Eloi in Te Anau in the days following his disappearance. This prompted the couple to return to New Zealand, this time focusing their search on the South Island.

"We are currently back in New Zealand touring the South Island to continue our search for Eloi, in the hope he may be alive," the couple wrote in the advertisement. They expressed their deep love for their son and their desperate need to know whether he is alive and well.

As part of their efforts, the Rollands have created a Facebook page titled Missing ELOI JEAN Rolland, encouraging anyone with information to contact the police. The reference number for the case is 200310/8987.

Detective Inspector Callum McNeill of Waitematā Police has previously speculated that Eloi may have taken a shortcut into the bush near Piha, underestimating the distance and the challenges of the terrain. "It’s pretty gnarly in there," he said. "He might have thought it was a straight line down, but that’s not always the case."

Despite the passage of time, the Rollands’ determination to find their son remains unwavering. Their journey is not only a personal quest but also a testament to the enduring hope that Eloi may still be out there, waiting to be found.