Search for missing woman Erika Coelho moves to recovery phase
Police in New Zealand have transitioned the search for missing woman Erika Coelho to a recovery phase after more than a month of unsuccessful efforts. Specialist search dog teams have been deployed to comb specific areas near Queenstown.
Why it matters
It marks a significant shift in a high-profile missing persons case, signaling that authorities no longer expect to find the individual alive.
<p>The search for missing woman Erika Coelho near Queenstown has moved to a recovery phase more than a month after she was last seen, police say. </p> <p>The 47-year-old was last seen on Friday 18 September <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/10/07/police-draw-a-blank-on-mystery-man-in-search-for-erika-coelho/" target="_blank">near Skippers Saddle</a>. </p> <p>"Extensive search efforts and enquiries so far have failed to locate Erika and police have moved to a recovery phase," Sergeant Terry Wood said.
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