27 Jul 2025

Search continues for Roy Arbon, drug scam survivor who braved Erebus

11:42 am on 27 July 2025
West Coast beekeeper Roy Arbon

West Coast beekeeper Roy Arbon Photo: Supplied

Search teams on the West Coast are resuming efforts in pursuit of missing 75-year-old tramper Roy Arbon.

Arbon has been missing for four days after he failed return from a walk at Mount Davy, north-east of Greymouth on Thursday.

The West Coast beekeeper previously helped to recover bodies after the Erebus air disaster and was also later the victim of a drug smuggling scam.

He worked for the Antarctic division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research when Air New Zealand Flight 901 crashed into Mt Erebus in 1979.

Years later he was detained in Australia after unknowingly transporting a suitcase from Brazil that contained more than 2kg of cocaine.

West Coast beekeeper Roy Arbon

West Coast beekeeper Roy Arbon. Photo: Supplied

The search for Arbon continued on Sunday, both on the ground and from the air around Mount Davy.

Police renewed their appeal for any sightings of Arbon to make contact.

He may be wearing a blue puffer jacket, shorts and hiking boots, but this was unconfirmed.

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