A 40-year-old man is missing after being swept out to sea while trying to swim across a river on the West Coast.
The
man's friends, who were ashore, raised the alarm about 4.10pm on
Tuesday when they spotted the man in trouble while trying to cross the
Mokihinui River, about 47km north of Westport.
A Tasman police communications spokeswoman says searchers are still hopeful they will find the man.
A search of the area will continue until dark on Tuesday and will resume at first light on Wednesday if necessary.
Police haven't released the name of the missing man.
NZN