Wellington diver Stuart Grenside is today recovering at home tired but uninjured after spending the night drifting in the sea off Wellington's south coast.
The 34-year-old was one of ten divers in an organised trip yesterday afternoon when he became separated from his companions and reported missing around 5pm. An air and sea search was mounted but there was no sign of the missing diver until shortly after 5am today when he was heard by a crewman on the Strait Shipping vessel The Kent.
A fishing vessel was alerted and picked Mr Grenside up where he was taken to Seatoun Wharf, checked by ambulance staff, and taken home to sleep off the ordeal.
Sergeant John Bryant, Wellington Police Maritime Unit head, says Mr Grenside, nine other divers and a boatman was diving late yesterday afternoon in the Thom's Rock and Karori Light area.
"Stuart and his buddy, and another pair were the first four dropped into the water," Sergeant Bryant says. "We understand they'd gone about 4 metres when Stuart indicated he was having trouble equalising his ears, and signalled to his buddy that he was going up.
"His buddy watched him ascend and joined the two other divers. When the buddy surfaced 17 minutes later he checked with the boatman but Stuart at that stage still had plenty of air."
Most of the other divers were picked up okay although the dive boat broke down leaving two women still in the water, and Mr Grenside. The two women were seen on the surface by those on the dive boat, but the boatman couldn't restart the engines to go and pick them up.
A Mayday call was made just before 5pm and the search activated. Westpac rescue helicopter was overhead within 15 minutes and the police launch Lady Elizabeth III and the Spirit of Wellington were on site within 40 minutes, just on sunset.
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The rescue chopper found the two women who indicated they were well, and continued searching for Mr Grenside. By this stage the dive boat's engines were restarted and it was able to collect the two women divers.
Three other vessels joined the search and the rescue chopper utilised both night sun and night vision equipment.
Sergeant Bryant says water conditions were getting quite rough by 7pm. A 25 to 30 knot northerly wind was blowing, and the sea had built to 1.5 metres. It was very dark with no moon.
"There was a real risk that the diver could be run over by one of the search boats so we called the water search off for the evening. Westpac continued sweeping the coastline without success and all vessels transitting the Wellington shipping lanes were given hourly updates to look for the missing man."
Sergeant Bryant says the search was upgraded and the Rescue Coordination Centre became involved, working with police searchers and maritime advisers planning the search for this morning.
In the end it wasn't necessary and news just after 5am that Mr Grenside had been found alive and well was greeted with jubilation.
Sergeant Bryant says Mr Grenside was experienced and equipped with a rescue sausage. "These are great for daytime visibility but we encourage any diver who goes into the water within two hours of sunset to make sure they carry a strobe light, mini personal flare or a torch.
"This means that if something does go wrong it heightens your chances of being seen by rescuers."
A tired but relieved Mr Grenside is today recovering at his home with his partner. Through police he thanks everyone involved in the search.
"The water temperature wasn't too bad but the waves were getting a bit rough. I started to get worried when the fog rolled in."
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Media note: Mr Grenside is not available for media interviews at this stage.