The NZ Police National Dive Squad will assist tomorrow with the search of the Clutha River and its banks for missing 36-year-old Balclutha woman, Shelley Marie Carson.
Senior Sgt Richard Whitmore of Balclutha Police said the dive squad would arrive this evening.
Today 20 SAR personnel conducted a ground search of the river bank and the river itself using four boats loaned from the Balclutha jet boating club to look for any signs of Miss Carson.
From mid-morning a private helicopter, arranged by a friend of Miss Carson's, conducted an aerial search over the area near where she was last seen.
Police also put up a local helicopter to search the river in the afternoon, when river levels were lower.
The initial search area has been from Stirling Bridge up to the location of where items belonging to Miss Carson were found, about 200m west of the Balclutha Bridge. A scene examination of the place where the belongings were has been completed and the cordons lifted.
Police will continue a ground search tomorrow. Further searches with jet boats and the dive squad members will cover the river below where Miss Carson's property was located.
Miss Carson was last seen on the riverbank west of Balclutha Bridge at about 3pm on Monday (23 May). A friend of Miss Carson notified the police late yesterday that she was missing.
An inquiry team of eight police staff was also working to gather information about Miss Carson's activities over the past few days.
Miss Carson is described as a Caucasian woman of medium build, 169cm in height, with long dark hair. She was last seen wearing a black fleece top, blue jeans and blue plastic shoes.
ENDS
Attached: Recent photo of Shelley Carson
Note to media: A further media release will be made tomorrow at approximately 1pm.
Media inquiries to Vivien Pullar, Communications Manager, Southern District on 027 556 1814
