Divers find drowning victim

DIVE SQUAD: A police dive team in action near Mosquito Point on the Whanganui River on Saturday.PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY 080314WCBRCDIVE02

Police divers found the body of a Wanganui man who went missing in the Whanganui River on Friday afternoon.

He was Shaun Robert McIvor, aged 46.

His body was found by divers about 1.30pm on Saturday and Whanganui Police said his drowning has been referred to the Coroner.

Mr McIvor was swimming with friends at Mosquito Point, about 5km upstream from the city when he went missing on Friday afternoon.

Sergeant Colin Wright said Mr McIvor was intending to swim across the river to the opposite bank and jump off a nearby cliff.

"Family and friends saw him swim toward the opposite bank but then lost sight of him," Mr Wright said.

Friends swam across the river shortly after but could not find Mr McIvor.

Whanganui Coast Guard launched its rescue boat and carried out a shoreline and river search, while a helicopter was also used for an aerial sweep of the area. Police staff carried out searches of the river banks on both sides. The search was called off late on Friday but resumed on Saturday when the Police Dive Squad was called in.