Police are hunting a mystery man after a woman was seen jumping off a bridge in Raglan.
The woman was seen walking across the Wainui Bridge about 9.45pm yesterday, when a grey sedan pulled up beside her.
An argument followed and the car drove off and the woman jumped from the bridge into the water.
The car then returned to the bridge for about five minutes, before driving off again.
Police, Coastguard, surf lifesavers and search and rescue teams failed to find the woman after searching the water and surrounding land for several hours.
Area Tactical Coordinator Senior Sergeant Kent Holdsworth says two people were seen in the sedan when it returned to the bridge, and it was not known if the woman was in it.
They were now seeking a male pedestrian who may hold the key to solving whether the woman left the water unseen, or if she is still missing.
The man was walking towards the beach from Raglan township and ran to the side of the bridge where the woman jumped from, before continuing walking towards the town about 30 seconds later.
"It may be that this man saw the woman surface and make her way to shore. If that is the case, or even if he didn't see anything, we would still like to speak to him," Snr Sgt Holdsworth says.
NZN