Tourists missing in National Park as bad weather strikes the area

A search has started for three foreigners missing for almost a week in the Kahurangi National Park in Golden Bay.

Police Search and Rescue Coordinator Sergeant Steve Savage said the group had left vehicles at either end of their intended route and both those vehicles were still there.

Their last known contact with the outside world had been a text message on April 13 indicating their intention to be out of the area by Monday, April 15 and saying they were aware the weather was deteriorating.

There has been heavy rain in the area since, but searchers said that if they had stuck to their intended route they should have been out days ago.

Two ground search teams would enter the area today. One would go from Anatoki towards Forks Hut - the group's initial destination, and the other would head towards Waingaro via the Killdevil track.

Police did not know much about the people they were looking for, or their experience in the outdoors, Savage said.

The three were believed to be an American male known as "Izzy", possibly Guy Verschuur, an American woman in her 20s whose first name may be Cristin and a Finnish woman, Jenny Rautio, aged 26.

Police were keen to hear from anyone who had been tramping or mountainbiking in the area since April 12 or anyone who had further information about the missing people.