25 June

Nelson Bays Area Commander Inspector Matt Scoles

The search for the missing swimmer at Maruia Falls has finished for the day.

The Police National Dive Squad completed a thorough search of the area today
including the falls, the pool of water between the falls and the rivers edge
and the river itself.

Unfortunately, staff were not able to locate the swimmer.

The search will continue tomorrow but it is likely to be scaled back in terms
of the number of personnel.

These were extremely challenging winter conditions for dive squad staff and
other search personnel, including the Nelson Bays Search and Rescue staff,
local Nelson surf life saving crews and local river experts, to work in.

We’d like to thank all of the people who have assisted in and who will
continue to assist in the search.

Our staff are constantly reassessing the information and the conditions to
help determine the next phases of the search operation.

As the public can appreciate this is a very hard time for the family and we
are doing all we can to support them.

We remain in regular contact with the them and are providing all necessary
support.

Our deepest sympathies are with them during this tragic time.

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