An investigator hunting for a girl who disappeared on a small catamaran with her father says the search needs to be urgently taken up in Australian waters.
Sailor Alan Langdon and his 6-year-old daughter, Que, have been missing for 17 days since leaving Kawhia Harbour in Waikato.
Child recovery specialist Col Chapman said he and Que's mother, Ariane Wyler, did not believe the pair are in New Zealand.
But he said they were still organising another search of the Bay of Islands and several North Island harbours, to be certain.
Mr Chapman, who previously tracked down Alan Langdon in Australia, is calling on New Zealand to make a formal request to Australia to take up the search.