Police launch new search for fugitive father and children missing in New Zealand wilderness for three years

Marokopa, one of the tiny settlements in the Waikato region of New Zealand, has been the focal point of the search for Tom Phillips and his three children. Photograph: Tracey Cooper

New Zealand police are launching a fresh operation in the rugged North Island wilderness to track down a fugitive father and his three children who have been missing for more than three years.

Just before Christmas 2021, Tom Phillips fled into a remote area of Waikato with his children Ember, thought to be now aged 9, Maverick, 10, and Jayda, 11. Police believe he was motivated by a custody battle. Phillips no longer has legal custody for his children – Oranga Tamariki, the Ministry for Children, does.