Kaya Awhitu hasn’t been heard from since Sunday.
Photo: Supplied / screenshot
The whānau of a young Kiwi woman who has gone missing while on holiday in Bali are calling for answers, having not heard from her in days.
Kaya Awhitu, a young woman from Papamoa in the Bay of Plenty, travelled with her partner to the Indonesian holiday destination last Thursday, but her family said they have not had any contact with her since Sunday.
Concerned whānau have taken to social media, describing Awhitu’s disappearance as “out of the ordinary.”
“We know there’s activity on her Messenger, but we feel that isn’t her. She might just be having some downtime, but this is still unusual. Kaya, please just let us know you’re okay, mama,” a family member wrote.
Awhitu was reportedly last seen at the Udara Hideaway Villa in Nusa Penida, an island accessible only by a 30-minute boat ride.
Whānau said they instantly became worried when Awhitu failed to meet up with her partner when travelling to their next destination.
“They were supposed to meet up by a barge or something to go to the next place, but she didn’t turn up,” Shar Roberts, a whānau member of Awhitu said on a Facebook video.
“He went back to the villa where they were staying, and everything was packed up.”
Roberts recently provided a “small update” on Awhitu’s disappearance, saying they still have had no contact with her and their attempts to reach her have gone unanswered.
“We’ve tried everything – calling, messaging, emailing, WhatsApp, but no response. She looks like she’s online, but she’s not answering anybody’s messages.”
Roberts said, “Even when I messaged her this morning saying we were going to contact the police, I just got the ‘seen’ [notification]. I believe she doesn’t have her phone with her.”
There have been reported sightings of Awhitu in Kuta, a popular beach and resort area in Bali, but Roberts believes she may have moved from the area.
“We’re just really concerned, and we want her to know that we are all worried about her.
“We miss her, and we just want to know where she is – that’s the end goal.”
In a statement to RNZ, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said: “The New Zealand Embassy in Jakarta is providing assistance to the whānau of a New Zealander reported missing in Bali. For privacy reasons, no further information will be provided.”