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Regional | Diving

Update: Two bodies found in search for Otago divers

Picture credit: Newshub

The Police National Dive Squad has this morning recovered two bodies off the southern coast of Otago after two men on a diving trip were reported missing yesterday.

While formal identification has not yet taken place, it is believed that the bodies are those of the two Balclutha men, aged 23 and 51, who went diving for pāua at Purakaunui Bay.

Police were alerted at 7.30pm last night and search teams were deployed immediately searching the area until midnight but had no luck finding the two men.

The search resumed at 6am this morning between Irihuka and Nugget Point with several boats out on the water, a LandSAR team conducting a coastal search, a helicopter and the police national dive squad.

Police have thanked all those, especially volunteers, who were involved in the search for the two men.