Police divers join search for missing Hawke's Bay man Matthew Knight

Divers from Ngā Pirihimana/Police have joined the search for missing man Matthew Knight, who is from Te Matau a Māui/Hawke's Bay.
Divers from Ngā Pirihimana/Police have joined the search for missing man Matthew Knight, who is from Te Matau a Māui/Hawke's Bay. Photo credit: Ngā Pirihimana / NZ Police / RNZ.

By RNZ

Police searching for a teenager who has been missing for more than a week are searching a river in Te Matau a Māui / Hawke's Bay.

Matthew Knight was last seen in the Raupunga - Mōhaka area on the evening of Monday 9 October.

The 19-year-old lives and works in Waikato, police said in a statement.

Searches had centred around the Mōhaka Viaduct and surrounding river.

The Police National Dive Squad searched the Mōhaka River on Tuesday, about 200m downstream from the viaduct.

"The river remains full of obstructions and ... treacherous currents as a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, so this search was limited to edges of the river accessible by foot, and limited diving and scanning with hand-held sonar," police said.

"Unfortunately, there has been no sign of Matthew."

Further inquiries were also looking through Knight's bank records and social media.

A jetboat search of the river was planned for Thursday.

RNZ.