Family clings to hope for diver
The family of a diver missing off Banks Peninsula ’’still have faith he could show up alive’’.
A search was launched on Saturday to find Seddon Ralph Jane, 42, of Wairoa, after he was reported missing at about 10 o’clock that morning.
A five-hour search of the area between Damons Bay and Flea Bay failed to find any sign of him. He is assumed drowned.
Jane’s uncle, Alan Jane, said he was expected to surface near Akaroa at 9.45am on Saturday, but failed to show up.
‘‘He went off the back of the boat for his dive and that was the last they saw of him. He failed to come to the surface and that’s when the alert went out.’’ Jane said his nephew, also known as Chucky, was a ‘‘very experienced diver’’, a horse whisperer and a lover of the outdoors.
Family spokeswoman Sharon Jane said the family ‘‘still have faith he could show up alive’’.
She said their hope was based on Jane’s experience as a diver and the fact that the police had been surprised they had found no clues in he areas where they had been diving.
"They have found not a thing, not a dive glove, nothing." Family spokeswoman Sharon Jane
‘‘They have found not a thing, not a dive glove, nothing.’’
She said if Jane had been getting into trouble, he may well have left an item behind to show his whereabouts.
The family was thankful for all the people ‘‘working tirelessly to find our loved one’’, she said.
‘‘We appreciate all that the rescue and dive teams are doing at this time.
‘‘To the people of Christchurch – if you can support our family, we would be so grateful. Please take a walk along the coastline around Akaroa to help search for our loved son, father, brother, nephew, cousin and mate.’’
Searchers, including coastguard volunteers, used a helicopter and up to eight boats to scour the remote search area on Saturday, but failed to find Jane.
The police dive squad started the ‘‘recovery phase’’ of the search on Sunday. The team covered a wide area but visibility was not good. The search was continuing yesterday.