KEY POINTS:
For the second time in a week Napier police launched a search-and-rescue operation to find a man who had taken to the sea after a drinking session.
Police were called just after midnight by a 27-year-old's distressed girlfriend and told he had been drinking and had decided to go to Mahia ... by sea.
But unlike last Thursday's incident off Marine Parade, in which a 25-year-old man disappeared after putting to sea in a dinghy during high offshore winds, last night's call-out ended with the man being found.
In the previous incident, the search for Ngati Cornelius was called off after an extensive sea and coastline search over two days.
Senior Sergeant Mal Lochrie said the subject of yesterday's search had donned a wetsuit and set off on a surf-ski from Hardinge Rd. There was no sign of him when police went to the scene and conditions were too severe for a Lowe Corporation rescue helicopter aerial search.
The Coastguard was notified but stood down after the man was spotted about two hours later in the darkness, about 10 metres from shore.
He was taken to the police station for an interview and assessment before being sent home.
Mr Lochrie said officers realised the man had been drinking.
