Vanished: Family of missing Waikanae man still hope to find him alive

Joe Pryor is missing after he left his workplace leaving a note saying he would be back by 10.30am, but never returned. Photo / NZ Police

Joe Pryor gets up at the crack of dawn most mornings for a swim at Raumati beach, he works as a sheet metal engineer, he is kind and polite – and on Friday morning he vanished.

The 63-year-old left a note on a whiteboard outside his workplace at Metco Engineering in Waikanae saying he would be back by 10.30am. He never returned.

That morning he was spotted by a customer of his walking away from the railway track outside the St Lukes church on Elizabeth St.

Today, new CCTV footage has emerged showing him walking further up Elizabeth St.

The street runs parallel with Waikanae River before turning into Reikorangi Rd, which is surrounded by hills and bush.

Hundreds of volunteers have helped with the search. Photo / Mark Mitchell

In response to the new information, searchers will walk the surrounding paths and check Department of Conservation huts in the area.

A police spokesperson said the sightings of Joe walking along Elizabeth St into Reikorangi were between 8.10am and 8.45am on Friday.

“Search and Rescue have been searching bush and farmland in that area today and will continue there tomorrow,” the spokesperson said.

Joe’s son, Lee, said it was possible his dad has gone bush.

“It’s definitely unlike him and he doesn’t have the best knees for it, but in saying that, he had his walking shoes on. So, it’s a possibility for sure,” Lee told the Herald.

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Joe has been missing since Friday. Photo / Georgina Campbell

Lee was alerted to his dad’s disappearance when his concerned sister rang him on Friday.

He drove from where he lives in Palmerston North to be with his family.

“I wasn’t that worried on Friday, but when he didn’t come back on Friday night and then we were still searching on Saturday, that’s when you start worrying a bit more.”

Lee said it was very unlike his father, who has no history of mental health issues, to just disappear.

Lee has been holding up okay during the day when he is busy helping to coordinate the search effort or is out physically searching with volunteers.

“But when it gets to the evening time you sort of lose it a bit,” he said.

“Dark thoughts start racing through your head. It doesn’t feel quite real for me. I’ve never gone through anything like this before, it’s just a bit weird.”

Lee was initially working on the theory his dad had become trapped or locked in a room somewhere on a job, but as the days have dragged on he has become less certain.

Lee Pryor. Photo / Georgina Campbell

Parts of the search have been difficult and a “bit scary” for Lee.

‘When I was looking around a couple of building sites the other day I was thinking I really don’t want to see him lying down somewhere hurt or anything.

“I hope he’s just getting some time to himself or going for a walk somewhere because that way he’s probably less likely to be hurt and is okay. On day five, it would be quite serious if he was hurt.”

Hundreds of people have been involved in the search for Joe. It’s being coordinated at his workplace and online through a Facebook page set up for the effort.

Almost 6000 people are now following the page and a Givealittle page has also been set up.

Over the course of half an hour this morning at the search party headquarters, a stack of pizzas, three plates of sandwiches, and a pasta bake arrived from members of the community wanting to chip in.

Phone numbers, weather forecasts, the plan for the day and locations were all mapped out on several white boards.

Dozens and dozens of areas were ticked off in an extensive “Areas Searched” list.

“Belvedere Avenue, Manawa Avenue Recreation Reserve (Rimu Road), Motuiti Scenic Reserve (Ngaio Road to Iti Grove), Composting NZ greenwaste disposal (Park Avenue), Countdown Waikanae (Ngaio Road), GAS (Ngaio Road), Devil’s elbow (Waikanae River)
Edgewater Park and tree area (Fleetwood Grove), Elizabeth Street – between Matuhi St and Poneke Dr (eastern side)”…. the list went on.

Julia Soares, who is chatty and has a lot of energy, has been tasked with greeting new faces and instructing them on what to do when they arrive at the base to help with the search.

Julia Soares. Photo / Georgina Campbell

She knows Lee from when they studied music together at Whitireia. Soares is originally from New Caledonia, and his family has become like a “mini family” for her in New Zealand.

So when she saw on her phone that Joe was missing, between making coffees and serving customers at work, she was shocked.

“I did a double take. I thought, holy sh*t.”

The flood of community support has been humbling for Joe’s family and they are extremely grateful for the help they have received.

Between 20 and 40 volunteers are searching, door knocking, or dropping off missing-person flyers in the community today.

A misty haze covered the coast, turning to rain at times, meaning drones weren’t able to be used.

But three drones have been up in the air over the course of the search in better conditions.

They have been able to use thermal imaging, but have only detected goats and rabbits up the valley and around the river.

Police do not believe, at this stage, the circumstances of Joe’s disappearance are suspicious. Police believe he is still somewhere in the wider Wellington region.

When Joe disappeared he was wearing blue overalls, and later an orange and white bucket hat along with a TravelMarvel backpack.

He is described as being about 178cm tall and of thin build.

“We’re just hoping it’s resolved soon,” Lee said.

“We’re kind of hoping he just shows up at home. We just want him to be safe.”