Waikato River searched after car plunge

File photo of the Waikato River. Photo / Christine Cornege

The police national dive squad will today search the scene where a car crashed off a Hamilton bridge and sank in the Waikato River last night.

Waikato road policing manager, Inspector Leo Tooman, said the car was travelling east on Wairere Drive about 8.330pm when it appears it crossed the centre-line, hitting a concrete barrier before rebounding on to the correct side of the road and crashing through a barrier on the Pukete Bridge, plunging in the Waikato River.

"There was poor visibility at the time and despite emergency services converging on the scene and having a police rescue boat in the water, the vehicle has still not been located."

The bridge was closed to traffic for about an hour as police and Fire Service staff searched the river and banks, but were unable to find anyone or any sign of a person leaving the river.

The vehicle is no longer visible.

Mr Tooman said the Police Specialist Dive Squad would be in Hamilton this morning to search the river.

"We have spoken to five people so far, none of whom actually saw the crash however one man is pretty sure he saw a person escape the vehicle in the water and swim to shore but we've been unable to confirm this.

"At the same time we haven't heard anything from anyone who has a loved one unaccounted. If this is the case police want to hear from you. Equally important, if you were involved in this crash and made it out we need to hear from you as we work to establish how many people were in the vehicle."

Police do not have a description of the car and they're not sure how many people were in it at the time it left the bridge.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or has any information about it is asked to contact Hamilton police.

The Serious Crash Unit is investigating.

While a scene guard remains on the bridge the Pukete Bridge is currently open to traffic both ways.