Search for man who disappeared while swimming in Canterbury widens

Tuesday, 2 February 2021

The search continues for a man who disappeared while swimming in the Waimakariri River on Saturday.

Police were alerted to the missing swimmer at around 6.45pm on Saturday after the man's friends were unable to locate him.

Police divers and Coastguard scoured the river on Saturday night but found no sign of the man.

They resumed the search on Monday, focusing their efforts on a 400-metre stretch of river between the State Highway 1 bridge and the Old Waimakariri bridge, which Main North Rd uses.

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A police spokeswoman said the dive squad completed their search and did not find the man.

A helicopter will search the river from the air throughout Tuesday and Coastguard will assist in the afternoon.

The spokeswoman said the search area would be expanded to where the river meets the sea on the east coast.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tūāhuriri had placed a rāhui (a temporary closure) over the 400m stretch of river being searched on Monday.

The rāhui bans the gathering of kaimoana (seafood) and recreational activities in the area.

“It will be in place until further notice by the hapū and is after discussions with Waimakariri District Council and Environment Canterbury,” she said.

Anyone with information about the missing man is asked to call 105 and quote file number 210130/5446.

Emergency services were also called on Saturday to reports of a man being swept out to sea from Seadown beach, near Beach Rd, north of Timaru about 4.30pm.

Westpac Rescue Helicopter pilot Matt Boulcott earlier told Stuff, the man, 58-year-old Richard James Walsh, was found dead “in the breakers, maybe 50 metres out from shore”.

The incident has been referred to the coroner.