Search for missing boatie suspended

File photo / Hagen Hopkins

The search for a 49-year-old boatie who disappeared after falling into Wellington Harbour a week ago has been suspended.

Uikilifi Peniamina and a 29-year-old companion were in a small dinghy off the mouth of the Hutt River when they fell into the water just after 5pm, last Sunday.

They were retrieving a fishing net that had been set 20 metres from the shore.

Mr Peniamina was not wearing a lifejacket at the time.

His companion was able to make it back to shore.

Senior Launch Master Barry Hart of the Maritime police said navy divers with sonar equipment searched the harbour yesterday, but found no sign of the man.

The navy divers had now returned to Auckland.

"The navy phase of the search has been suspended at this time,'' Mr Hart said.

The investigation had been handed back to Lower Hutt police, he said.

Alcohol was not believed to be a factor in the incident, police said.