Police investigating a kayaker who paddled out to sea now believe she may have been in a yellow single-seat kayak, not a two-seater as initially reported.
The woman is believed to be Michaela Leger, aged 29, from Ōtaki, who is currently missing. On Saturday 21 October, a woman matching Michaela’s description was seen taking the kayak into the sea.
Despite an extensive search by air, land and sea, we have not yet located Michaela or the yellow kayak she was in.
‘After making extensive enquiries, we now believe the kayak had only one seat and want to hear from anyone who saw a single-seater kayak in days since Saturday 21 October, but did not report it,’ said Detective Senior Sergeant Peter Middlemiss.
‘A team of investigators is continuing to follow any lead that may led us to Michaela. We are concerned for her and are providing support to her whānau.
‘Police would like to thank our various search and rescue partners for their work so far to locate Michaela, including LandSar, Coastguard, Surf Lifesaving NZ, the Department of Conservation, and the Royal New Zealand Airforce (RNZAF).
‘We ask anyone at beaches along the coast to please contact us if they see a yellow kayak, like the one in the attached photo, that looks out of place or abandoned.’
If anyone has information which could assist our enquiries, they’re asked to contact Police via 105 and quote file number 231022/0452.
