Police released this CCTV image of Grace Millane, 22, leaving Sky City, in Auckland’s CBD, at around 7.15pm on December 1
A British millionaire broke down in tears today as he begged for help finding his backpacker daughter after she vanished in New Zealand.
Grace Millane, 22, from Essex, has not been heard from since December 1 after arriving in Auckland less than two weeks earlier as part of a round-the-world trip.
Police have now revealed she was last seen with a man at a four-star hotel before she disappeared. Detectives say they have ‘grave fears’ over Miss Millane’s safety.
Her father David Millane, a 60-year-old property developer, fought back tears as he urged anyone who has any information about his ‘outgoing, fun-loving’ daughter to come forward.
‘We last had contact with her on Saturday the 1st of December and as a family we’ve been extremely concerned for her welfare,’ said Mr Millane, who arrived in New Zealand on Friday morning.
‘Grace is a lovely, outgoing, fun-loving and family orientated daughter.’
He tearfully explained that his daughter has never been out of contact with her family for such a long period of time, usually contacting them on social media.
‘She arrived here on the 20th of November and has been bombarding us with numerous photographs and messages of her adventures,’ Mr Millane said.
‘We’re all extremely upset and it’s very difficult at this time to describe the range of emotions we are going through.’
‘Finally I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to anybody who has seen, spoken to or come into contact with Grace over the last few days to come forward with any detail no matter how small and contact the investigation team.’
Detective Inspector Scott Beard said the last known sighting of Grace was at 9.41pm on Saturday December 1 at the City Life Hotel with a male companion.
David Millane, Grace’s property developer father, broke down in tears as he begged for help finding his backpacker daughter after she vanished in New Zealand
Her father David Millane, a 60-year-old property developer, wept as he made an emotional statement urging anyone who has any information about his ‘outgoing, fun-loving’ daughter to come forward
Grace was said to have been in regular contact with her family until she went missing on Saturday night
‘Police have identified this man and he has been spoken to,’ Mr Beard told reporters.
‘Through our investigations we have also identified a location of interest, an apartment in the City Life hotel in Queen Street.’
In the six days since Grace’s disappearance officers have conducted multiple inquiries and are now conducting a scene examination at the apartment.
Grace was said to have been in regular contact with her family and friends until Saturday night – the day before her birthday.
‘At this point we hold grave fears for her safety,’ Mr Beard said.
Grace’s brother also made an emotional appeal for help find her in a video widely shared on social media.
Declan Millane spoke to New Zealand TV station The Project NZ in an emotional appearance during which he urged authorities to do everything in their power to ‘bring her home’.
‘We raised our concerns on Monday 3rd December with local police and the embassy in New Zealand,’ he said in an interview.
Mr Millane tearfully explained that his daughter has never been out of contact with her family for such a long period of time, usually contacting them on social media
The tearful father revealed Grace has been ‘bombarding us with numerous photographs and messages of her adventures’ since arriving in New Zealand
Declan Millane made an emotional plea to find his sister in a video widely shared on social media
The 22-year-old, originally from Essex in south-east England, travelled to Auckland two weeks ago
‘They’ve been nothing but helpful recently.
‘But we just urge you to please bring my sister home.’
A CCTV image released by police on Thursday shows her dressed in a casual black dress and trainers, and is the last known sighting of Grace.
After a missing persons report was filed, New Zealand police released the image of Ms Millane at a late night casino in Auckland.
She appears to be alone and is wearing a pink wristband – possibly from a club night – and flat trainers, thought to be Converse.
Police say they are starting to piece together Ms Millane’s last known movements.
On Thursday, they released a CCTV image of the backpacker at Sky City, in Auckland’s CBD, at around 7.15pm.
Detective Inspector Scott Beard said: ‘Clearly this is a very stressful time for Grace’s family and the longer she remains missing the more our concern grows for her safety and wellbeing.
The family said it was ‘completely out of character’ for Ms Millane to go silent as they would speak with her most days
The 22-year-old tourist had reportedly been staying at Base Backpackers on Queen Street in the heart of Auckland
‘It’s important that anyone who recognises Grace from this photo or saw her on Saturday night contacts Police immediately.’
Ms Millane’s roommates at Base Backpackers Hostel, on Queen Street, in the heart of Auckland, said they last saw her on Saturday.
Her belongings remain at the hostel.
The family said it was ‘completely out of character’ for Ms Millane to go silent as they would speak with her most days, BBC reported.
Ms Millane’s brother, Michael, said she had travelled to Peru as part of an organised group for six weeks but had not travelled on her own – until she arrived in New Zealand two weeks ago.
‘It was what she wanted – she wanted to see the world,’ Mr Millane said.
‘We are really, really worried and concerned about Grace. We just want her to get in contact,’ he said.
Mr Millane said she had two mobile phones with her but they both go straight to voicemail.
A missing persons report was filed on Wednesday morning and police are investigating
‘She spoke to someone in the family every day on WhatsApp, Facebook or FaceTime. The contact with us stopped on Thursday. The last contact she had was with her roommate on Saturday morning,’ he said.
The distressed family released a plea on social media after Ms Millane had been missing for five days.
‘Grace has been missing for five days. She has not returned to her hostel room in Auckland New Zealand,’ her older brother Michael Millane wrote on Facebook.
Another brother urged people to share the post, adding: ‘We haven’t heard from my sister since Saturday’.
Ms Millane (pictured with her brothers) graduated from the University of Lincoln with a Bachelor of Advertising and Marketing in September
Tony McLeod, British High Commission Wellington consular manager, said the commission was aware of the missing person report.
‘We are working with the family in the UK and New Zealand Police in relation to reports of a missing British national in New Zealand,’ he said.
‘We are unable to make further comment while police are investigating the matter.’
Ms Millane had previously written on social media.
On November 19 she wrote: ‘Of course it’s raining when I arrive to New Zealand.’
In another tweet the day before she went missing she said: ‘I think travelling has changed me I just bought some blue jeans.’
Ms Millane, who graduated from the University of Lincoln with a Bachelor of Advertising and Marketing in September, saved for her holiday by doing office work at her fathers property development company.
She also made money selling paintings which she exhibits on her own website.
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: ‘We are providing consular support to the family in the UK, and working with the New Zealand Police in relation to reports of a missing British national in New Zealand.’