By Bill Hickman of RNZ

Police say it is extremely unlikely that a man who went overboard from the Interislander ferry this week has survived.

The man had not been found, and searchers had been stood down.

Wellington District Commander Superintendent Penny Gifford said police were advised of the missing man at 2.20am on Tuesday.

“This was a full ferry sailing, and the vehicle disembarkation process took about 50 minutes. At the end of that process, the ship’s crew found that a vehicle was still on board and began a search of the ship for the person associated with it.

“Initial inquiries were undertaken, including further searches of the vessel and attempts to contact the man,” Gifford said.

She said CCTV camera footage from the Kaiārahi ferry confirmed the man went into the water just after 11pm – about two hours after the ship left Picton.

“Following confirmation of this, the Police Maritime Unit and the Rescue Co-ordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) were formally engaged shortly after 4am, and a co-ordinated maritime search and rescue operation was initiated,” she said.

Gifford said multiple police, coastguard and aerial assets were deployed to find the man and drift modelling was used to guide search activity.

“Weather conditions deteriorated throughout the day, reducing the effectiveness of surface searching. Expert advice received indicated survivability was extremely unlikely.”

She said the maritime surface search in the area had been completed, but broadcasts requesting vessels in the area to keep watch for the man would continue.

Police were in contact with the man’s next of kin, and the Coroner’s office had been advised.

– RNZ