The possibility of John and Mike Beckenridge being alive will be looked into further in a hearing in Christchurch

The pair vanished after John broke a court order and took 11-year-old Mike from his Invercargill school in 2015.

A friend allegedly told people they helped the pair out, and they're alive.

Herald reporter Anna Leask says the new evidence came to light in June last year, and it's now with the Coroner to decide whether a new inquiry should be opened.

She says more information on the evidence will be heard in the coming days, then the Coroner will make a decision.