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The friend of a Wellington nurse missing in Europe is distraught and feels "shunted from pillar to post" with the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs unable to offer support due to his citizenship status.
Vanron Ngoun, 60, known as Van, is a New Zealand resident and an Australian citizen of Cambodian descent.
When approached by 1News, MFAT said consular assistance would be provided by the government of citizenship.
Ngoun was last heard from on May 27 when he messaged friends from Naples, Italy and has been unresponsive since. He was due to fly from Milan to Cambodia, via Doha and Bangkok on May 30.
He moved to New Zealand seven years ago, qualified as a registered nurse two years ago, and now works at Wellington Hospital.
Vanron Ngoun is a registered nurse who works at Wellington Hospital. (Source: Supplied)
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the situation was "incredibly worrying and concerning" for Ngoun's family and friends.
"The individual has travelled on the Australian passport. Having said that, MFAT's system would work with the Australian systems to see if there's any support they need."
Dr Clive Aspin, Van's close friend and long-time flatmate, said he was a "well-seasoned traveller" and that he was heading from Italy to Cambodia to visit his family.
"He's a really kind, compassionate person who's lived through a lot of adversity, and he knows how to provide care and support to people when they need it most, and that's what he needs now. He needs us."
Aspin said he had contacted the Australian High Commission in Wellington, the New Zealand High Commission in Canberra and the Australian Embassy in Rome.
Vanron Ngoun. (Source: Supplied)
"We need the local police here to contact Interpol so that they can ascertain where Van is and where he's been, and they have a copy of his passport number, they will know when he's crossed the border," he told 1News.
"We need them to action that to understand whether he's actually left Italy."
The level of anxiety was "just overwhelming", Aspin said.
"It really is totally of character for him to go silent like this, and we just want to be there. We just want to be in a place where we can help him if he needs our help."
Vanron Ngoun has been a New Zealand resident for seven years. (Source: Supplied)
Police told 1News in a statement that in the instance of someone going missing in another country the matter was under the jurisdiction of authorities in that country.
"We can confirm NZ Police have received a missing person’s report and have made some initial enquiries as much as we are able.
"NZ Police would potentially look to engage with Interpol in coming days if there are no further leads that emerge."
1News has reached out to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment.
