<\/p>\n
\nCCTV camera footage from the ferry confirmed the man went into the water just after 11pm – about two hours after the ship departed Picton.
\nPhoto: Interislander\n<\/p>\n
Police say it is extremely unlikely that a man who went overboard from the Interislander ferry earlier this week has survived.<\/p>\n
The man had not been located and searchers had been stood down.<\/p>\n
Wellington District Commander Superintendent Penny Gifford said police were advised of the missing man at 2.20am on Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
“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 onboard<\/a> and began a search of the ship for the person associated with it.<\/p>\n “Initial enquiries were undertaken, including further searches of the vessel and attempts to contact the man,” Gifford said.<\/p>\n Gifford said CCTV camera footage from the Kai\u0101rahi ferry confirmed the man went into the water just after 11pm – about two hours after the ship departed Picton.<\/p>\n “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.<\/p>\n Gifford said multiple Police, Coastguard and aerial assets were deployed to find the man and drift modelling was used to guide search activity.<\/p>\n “Weather conditions deteriorated throughout the day, reducing the effectiveness of surface searching. Expert advice received indicated survivability was extremely unlikely,” Gifford said.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Police were in contact with the man’s next of kin and the Coroner’s office had been advised.<\/p>\n