A man returned to a party in Dunedin and continued drinking for 40 minutes after his friend either jumped or was pushed into Otago Harbour at the weekend, police say.
Senior Sergeant Craig Dinnissen, of Dunedin, said the bizarre incident early on Sunday could have resulted in tragedy, and has called on people to take better care of their mates.
Police were called by a security guard who said a drunk man had claimed to have thrown his friend into Otago Harbour about 2am on Sunday.
"We attended and the story changed, he then stated the person had jumped in the harbour 40 minutes earlier," Dinnissen said.
It emerged the man left the scene after his friend fell or was pushed into the harbour, returning to a party in nearby Jutland St and continuing to drink. Forty minutes later, he went back to the harbour, but his friend was nowhere to be seen.