Police National Dive Squad continue Waikato River search for missing man

Members of the Police National Dive Squad are searching the waters of the Waikato River today after a man jumped off Pukete Bridge on Saturday night. Photo / Maryana Garcia

Members of the Police National Dive Squad are searching the waters of the Waikato River today after a man jumped off Pukete Bridge on Saturday night.

A police spokesperson said there were no further updates on the search but the dive squad would be searching the river today.

According to a police statement released over the weekend, the incident was reported at 7.45pm after the man jumped into the river from the Hamilton bridge and could not be found after “only briefly resurfacing”.

Police and Fire and Emergency New Zealand staff undertook an extensive search of the water and riverbank on Saturday night however did not locate the man.

LandSAR staff were to be deployed again on Sunday to conduct a riverbank search, and other search and rescue staff deployed in a boat to search the area of the river where the man was seen to enter the water.

Maryana Garcia is a Hamilton-based reporter covering breaking news in Waikato. She previously wrote for the Rotorua Daily Post and Bay of Plenty Times.