Diver dies in tragic end to training exercise

Stuff.co.nz -

Police searching for a diver missing at an Auckland lake since yesterday say they have halted the search while they reassess their options.

Senior Sergeant Kim Libby, speaking to media at Takapuna's Lake Pupuke this afternoon, also admitted that it may take up to two days for search teams to find the body.

The missing man was taking part in a training course when he and another man went missing on a dive yesterday.

The body of Tyrone North, 37, was pulled from the lake yesterday and a post-mortem is due to be carried out today.

A third diver was taken to hospital suffering hypothermia but has since been discharged.

Family and friends of the missing diver gathered at the lake today.

The dive squad had been using sonar equipment to search the lake bed today but this afternoon Libby said the decision had been made to halt the search while they reassessed their options.

It was also the first time police admitted they were now looking for a body.

He said searchers were considering whether to bring in more equipment to help with the search but said it could take days to recover the body.

The police dive squad arrived at the lake last night but conditions were considered unsuitable and the search was called off for the night.

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