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Search for Marokopa family called off

Daily search and rescue operations have been suspended after no traces of a man and his three children have been found from a west coast settlement in the King Country. Thomas Phillips and his children, Jayda Jin, 8, Maverick, 6, and Ember, 5, were last seen after Phillips’ ute was found below the tideline at Kiritehere Beach on September 11. The mother of the three children and extended family extended their ‘‘utmost thanks and gratitude’’ to search crews on Monday. Speaking with family yesterday, the decision has been made to suspend daily searching and move into a ‘‘reactive’ phase’’, Waikato West Area Commander Will Loughrin said. For the past 12 days searchers, supported by the community, have been combing the inland and coastal areas of Marokopa and Kiritehere.

National News

en-nz

2021-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/281547999039063

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