Divers continue search for missing Picton man

Police divers will continue to search Picton Harbour this evening for a local man missing for a week.

Christopher John Derek Purdy, 56, who lived on his yacht in the harbour, was last seen at Oxley's Tavern, then the Irish Bar, last Wednesday.

A dinghy was retrieved by Coastguard in the early hours of Thursday, which was believed to belong to Mr Purdy. Police and the Coastguard had since searched the Picton foreshore without success.

A team of seven police divers from Wellington found no sign of Mr Purdy this afternoon but would continue their search this evening and probably tomorrow as well, Detective Kris Payne, of Picton police, said.

Meanwhile, police were also checking his bank and phone accounts in case he had gone somewhere and not told anyone, Mr Payne said.

However, it was totally out of character for him to leave Picton.

Police also hoped to talk to the person Mr Purdy was drinking with on the night he was last seen to ascertain how intoxicated he might have been.

However, the person had left Picton to attend a funeral and Mr Payne hoped to talk to him tomorrow or Friday.