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Bridge jump man feared drowned

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Thu, 19 Jan 2012 4:37p.m.

A two-hour search for a man in the Waikato River has been unsuccessful and he is feared drowned

A two-hour search for a man in the Waikato River has been unsuccessful and he is feared drowned

A two-hour search of the Waikato River by boat has failed to find an Auckland man who was last seen jumping from a bridge north of Huntly and is feared drowned.

The 49-year-old man, who hasn't been named, was seen jumping from a one-lane bridge near Rangiriri about 3pm on Wednesday.

The drop was about 10 metres and he was not seen to resurface from the deep, fast-flowing river.

Waikato police spokesman Andrew McAlley told NZ Newswire a two-hour boat search of the area, involving police, Environment Waikato and the harbourmaster, on Thursday failed to find anything.

The water was too fast flowing and visibility too low to consider sending in a dive team but if conditions change on Friday divers may join the search for the man, he said.

A lower demand for power at the weekend may see hydro dams up river close and the water level may drop and visibility improve.

NZN

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