Family's hopes fade

By BLAIR ENSOR and MAIKE VAN DER HEIDE - The Marlborough Express

A body has been found in the Marlborough Sounds and police are hopeful it is that of missing man Christopher Purdy.

It was found partially submerged on the shore between Double Cove and Torea Bay, in Queen Charlotte Sound.

The find came just as police divers finished their search for missing Picton man Christopher Purdy in Picton Harbour.

Picton detective Kris Payne said a close friend of Mr Purdy found the body at about 12.30pm. He did not know if the man had actively been searching for Mr Purdy at the time.

''We can't jump too much to a conclusion but we are hopeful (the body is) our missing man,'' Mr Payne said.

MISSING SINCE WEDNESDAY NIGHT

Police began searching for Mr Purdy on Wednesday after he was reported missing on Tuesday. He was last seen Wednesday last week in Picton bars, before he headed out to his yacht in Picton Harbour in a dinghy around midnight in a storm.

Mr Payne said police divers finished their search of Picton Harbour at midday today.

Mr Purdy's younger sister, Sarah Purdy, of Wellington, his son Matthew Purdy from Western Australia, and daughter Heloise Purdy, who is studying in Dunedin, were in Picton yesterday where police divers and a helicopter continued the search in Picton harbour.

The divers resumed at 8am today, their third day in the water.

Police began searching on Wednesday after Mr Purdy was reported missing on Tuesday. His disappearance came after an upturned dinghy was found bobbing in Picton harbour in atrocious weather conditions early on Thursday morning last week.

Mr Purdy was last seen at a Picton bar about midnight on Wednesday and it is understood he tried to row back to his boat, which was anchored about 90 metres from the Picton foreshore, during the storm.

The dinghy was spotted about 1am last Thursday.

Matthew Purdy said he hoped his father's body would be found, "for closure".

Sarah Purdy said her brother often travelled around the Marlborough Sounds and was sometimes hard to track down. When he went missing his friends assumed he was with other friends.

Mr Purdy had been working in Lochmara Bay the day before he went missing.

"He was quite transient and enjoyed a drink, I don't think anyone can deny that, but it was perhaps his downfall in the end," Ms Purdy said.

"We are hopeful he might turn up, but all indications are he didn't make it back to the boat. We are realistic people.

"I'm very sorry to see Chris go, but he did love what he was doing, and he did love the lifestyle."

Ms Purdy said her brother bought his 36-foot boat in 1999 for a "total lifestyle change" after working as a builder in Wellington, where he built sets for television and movies, including Lord of the Rings.

Mr Purdy loved Picton, which she said suited his unusual lifestyle. Picton also loved him, she said.

"It's staggering how well liked he was in Picton and in Wellington.

"He had a twinkle in his eye and it got him away with anything ... people always wanted to help him.

"He always had time for a yarn and a beer."

Matthew Purdy said his father was intelligent and a good builder, "didn't have a mean bone in his body" and loved Picton, where he was the happiest he'd been.

He said the family were impressed with the support they had received from police and Mr Purdy's friends.

"We really appreciate the community and what his friends have done and the long hours the dive squad have put in."

Picton police Detective Kris Payne said he and two police search and rescue staff conducted an hour-long aerial search of the harbour by helicopter at low tide late yesterday afternoon but did not find anything.

He said police would continue to search the shoreline and today witnesses, including friends of Mr Purdy who last saw him, were being interviewed. Mr Payne said many of those friends had been in Wellington at a funeral.

Police divers would reassess their search at midday today once the planned search area had been covered.

Mr Payne said police could not rule out that Mr Purdy had travelled elsewhere in New Zealand and enquiries were continuing.

Anyone with related information should call Picton police on 035203120.