The Police National Dive Squad has been called in this morning to search for a man missing in the Waimakariri River.

Search efforts will focus on the area between the State Highway 1 bridge and the Old Waimakariri bridge.

A search and rescue operation started on Saturday after a man failed to return from the Waimakariri River.

Police were called about 6.45pm after his friends were unable to locate him after he went for a swim near the Waimakariri Bridge.

A search of the river with assistance from the Kaiapoi Coastguard last night did not locate the man.

The missing man’s roommate told Chris Lynch witnesses saw him leave the rocks and start swimming to the centre of the river.

“Thirty seconds later he was gone. A two-hour search and interview of fishermen, the local bars and up and down the riverbed returned nothing.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 105 and quote file number 210130/5446