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A teenager is feared dead after diving into the Waikato River in a bid to elude police.
Area Commander Russell Le Prou said two 17-year-old males fled in a stolen car after they were disturbed by police while burgling a house on Pohutukawa Drive, Hamilton.
Police followed their Toyota Rav4 to Ngaruawahia, 17km north of Hamilton, to where the Waikato and Waipa rivers meet.
Both men jumped out of the car and dived into the river, Mr Le Prou said.
"One was located 25 minutes later on the other bank. He was wearing a heavy swandrii and was extremely cold and fatigued," he said.
An initial search of the river with a fire service rescue boat failed to find the other man, he said.
Police were making urgent inquiries with his family, and a dive squad was travelling to Ngaruawahia today.
Mr Le Prou said the Rav4 was suspected of being linked to other burglaries.
The young man who was found was to appear at Hamilton District Court today, charged with burglary and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.
The Police Complaints Authority had been made aware of the incident, Mr Le Prou said.
"If the missing person has drowned then this is indeed a tragedy and I am saddened by the circumstances," he said.
- NZPA
