13 Jan 2020

Search for missing kayaker to continue on Lake Ellesmere

10:02 pm on 13 January 2020

Police will resume the search for a missing kayaker on Lake Ellesmere tomorrow but say they are probably looking for a body.

A view of Lake Ellesmere

Lake Ellesmere. Photo: RNZ/Conan Young

The 59-year-old kayaker, from Christchurch, was paddling out to check fishing nets when he got into difficulty on Saturday morning. Search teams found the kayak on the Kaitorete Spit later that day.

Police believe he may have fallen out of his kayak which has then been pushed away by the wind.

Detective Brent Menzies said police believe they were searching for a body due to the amount of time that has passed.

Police are likely to carry out air and water-based searches tomorrow.

They say they are not in a position yet to release the man's name.

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