A cruise ship guest caused a comprehensive police missing persons operation in Dunedin, New Zealand, after getting separated from her parents. The 15-year-old girl went missing while visiting the city. Her parents quickly raised the alarm with the police.
It led to a large local police presence searching for the girl named Cameron. It came just a few hours before the Norwegian Spirit cruise ship departed Dunedin port. Cameron had a cell phone but could not be contacted as she didn’t have a New Zealand sim card.
Social media saves the day
With time ticking away before the ship’s departure, the power of social media came to the rescue. The police posted an image of the girl on Facebook, which was extensively shared within local groups.
“The missing girl was located by someone who had seen our original Facebook post,” Dunedin police said. “Police would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our wonderful Dunedin community, who shared that original Facebook post and got the word out far and wide.”
She was found just two hours before the cruise ship departed Dunedin’s Chalmers Port.
Dunedin is a popular stop on New Zealand cruise itineraries. It is the gateway for various shore experiences, such as the Taieri Gorge scenic railway and Otago Harbor wildlife cruise. This offers sightings of seals, penguins, and dolphins.
Norwegian Spirit is spending the season sailing from Sydney, Australia to New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean.
