Police continue search for missing diver

Police are continuing the search for a diver who went missing off Motunau Island, about 70km north of Christchurch yesterday morning.

Stephen John Sintes, aged 41, from Christchurch, failed to surface following a dive near Motunau Island, 1km off Motunau Beach, at 7.30am.

Sergeant Craig Prior said the police dive team was arriving from Wellington this morning and a helicopter was due to start searching about mid-morning.

He said conditions were not as good as yesterday, but they were still fine.

Last month, navy diver Robert Hewitt, 38, survived more than 75 hours in the water after he went missing in a dive off Mana Island near Porirua Harbour.

Mr Hewitt, dehydrated and sunburnt, was found floating in the water on February 8, by navy divers who had flown down from Auckland to help search for their comrade.

He had earlier been given up for dead after intensive air, land and sea searches had failed to locate him.

- NZPA