1 Jan 2024

Body recovered in Auckland's Matakatia Bay

8:45 pm on 1 January 2024
The police Eagle helicopter.

The Police Eagle helicopter team were among the emergency rescue teams that responded to Auckland's Matakatia Bay on 1 January 2024. Photo: RNZ / Dom Thomas

A body has been recovered after emergency services rushed to try to rescue a man from the water at Matakatia Bay in Auckland, while a diver is missing off the Canterbury coast.

Police said they were called to an incident at Matakatia Bay at about 6:40pm on New Year's Day.

The Coastguard, police and the police Eagle helicopter all responded.

The man was brought to shore from the water, but could not be revived.

"Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time," police said.

Diver missing near Domett, Canterbury

Emergency response teams also scrambled to Manuka Bay, near Domett, on the Canterbury coast to hunt for a missing diver.

The alarm was raised about 2:15pm on New Year's Day, police said.

Two people had been diving in the bay, in about 5m of water, when one went missing.

Police, search and rescue teams, and a helicopter were searching, but had failed to find any trace of the diver by 8pm.

The police dive squad would join the search in the morning.

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