Police have found an "item of interest" during an underwater search at Lake Sumner - but do not yet know if it is the body of a pilot whose helicopter plunged into the lake last month.
Michael Graeme Mehrtens, 35, was the only occupant of a Hughes 500 helicopter that crashed near Breaksea Bay at the North Canterbury lake on May 21 while spraying weeds for the Department of Conservation.
Inspector Craig McKay said the police dive squad resumed a underwater search using a radial sonar device and located an item of interest.
"At this stage we can't say whether it is the body of Mr Mehrtens," Mr McKay said.
"Today we are deploying a remote-operated vehicle with a manipulator arm, and hope to be able to retrieve the item."
