Kaiapoi River searched for suspected bridge jumper

Coastguard Waimakariri Ashley spent 14 hours searching for a suspected missing person after Police received a report of someone jumping off the motorway bridge across the Kaiapoi River.  The incident was reported at 10.15pm on Thursday 17th June and Coastguard launched Kaikapo 1, Rangiora High Rescue and a jetboat to search the river.   In addition a shoreline search was carried out by LandSAR personnel.  At 20 past midnight the search was called off as no trace of a person had been found.

After a debrief with Police Coastguard Waimakariri Ashley volunteers recommenced searching the river at 10am on Friday morning to coincide with the high tide stopping at midday and recommencing for a third time at 3pm (low tide) for a final search.  At 4pm that afternoon the search was finally called off by Police with nothing being found.