What’s Behind the Disappearances? Six People Vanish in New Zealand’s Piha

In the picturesque town of Piha, located an hour west of Auckland, six people have vanished without a trace over several decades. A new true-crime documentary is bringing these cases back into the spotlight, raising unsettling questions and causing friction within the small community.

The first disappearance was that of Iraena Asher 21 years ago. The 25-year-old vanished on a stormy night after leaving a party. She had called the police because she felt unsafe, but a taxi was sent to the wrong address. A local couple picked her up, but the last time they saw her, she was walking towards the beach. While authorities assumed she drowned, her body was never found.

Asher’s case is not the only one haunting the community. Five other people have disappeared in the area over the past three decades: Quentin Godwin (1992), Cherie Vousden (2012), Kim Bambus (2015), Guoquan (Laurence) Wu (2019), and Eloi Rolland (2020). While coroners ruled most deaths as probable suicide or accidental, no remains have ever been recovered.

The four-part documentary series, “Black Coast Vanishings,” explores whether there could be a sinister connection between the cases. The show’s directors suggest police may have missed key details, pointing to a history of drug use, violence, and sexual assault in the community. While some locals welcome the series as a chance to uncover the truth, others feel it’s a sensationalist and unfair portrayal of their town. Sir Bob Harvey, a former mayor, is convinced a serial killer is at work. “They have gone without a trace—without a shoe, without a bag,” he states.

Police maintain that there is no link between the disappearances. The local community is divided, with some speculating about dark secrets and others insisting that Piha is a supportive and caring place. The true-crime genre, while providing a platform for victims’ families, also risks exploiting a community’s tragedy for public consumption.

#NewZealand #missing #searchandrescue #mountains #hikers #hiking #disappearance #nature #police

#Continentsurfer

Source: The Guardian

Want to know more?