A New Zealand yachtsman and his six-year-old daughter, who went missing more than three weeks ago, have been found alive and well at Ulladulla, on the New South Wales south coast.
Alan Langdon left Kawhia Harbour on a small catamaran with his daughter on December 17.
But what could have been passed off as an innocent pre-Christmas sail took an odd turn when the girl’s mother Ariane Wyler hired a child-recovery service in an attempt to locate the pair.
Ms Wyler is estranged from Mr Langdon.
New Zealand Police on Wednesday confirmed the duo had arrived at the coastal town, about 225 kilometres south of Sydney, on Mr Langdon’s catamaran.
Col Chapman, the Australian child recovery expert hired by Ms Wyler, said he had suspected Mr Langdon would attempt the near 2,600km journey.
“Despite initial thoughts to the contrary and, nothing against the New Zealand authorities, they did think it [the journey] was foolhardy and that no one in their reasonable mind would attempt it, he did,” Mr Chapman said.
It was reportedly the second time that Mr Chapman had been hired by Ms Wyler to look for the pair after he found them living in rural New Zealand more than a year ago.