Missing man was regular rower

Police dive squad and two boats were today continuing to search for the body of a 60-year-old man, who disappeared after falling out of rowing boat into a central Otago lake yesterday.

Alexander John Smolenski from Alexandra had been rowing on Lake Dunstan, near Cromwell, at about 8.30am.

His single-person rowing skiff was later found overturned.

Police are treating the search as a recovery as Mr Smolenski wasn't expected to have survived long in the water.

Lake Dunstan has been closed off from the Diary Creek boat ramp to the Clyde dam. The rest of the lake is still open to the public.

Police said Mr Smolenski was a life-time member of the Alexandra rowing club and was regularly rowing on the lake. He is considered to be a fit and healthy.

His family has been notified.

- NZPA