The body of missing Christchurch diver Stephen John Sintes was recovered by the police dive squad this afternoon.
Mr Sintes, 41, failed to surface following a dive near Motunau Island, 1km off Motunau Beach, 70km north of Christchurch, at 7.30am yesterday.
The missing man's body was found about 3.30pm and the matter was being referred to the coroner, Inspector Warren Kemp of the police southern communications centre said.
Earlier Sergeant Craig Prior said that the dive squad arrived from Wellington with the Coast Guard this morning and had been diving since noon while sea and aerial searches continued.
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
Police divers find body of missing diver
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