Navy and police divers were on Lake Wanaka at 4am today to begin searching for missing helicopter pilot Morgan Saxton and his Robinson 22 helicopter, believed to be about 70m-100m under water in Lake Wanaka since an accident on Saturday night.
Sgt Aaron Nicholson said this morning the divers would conduct a sonar survey and prepare the barge for salvage but it was unlikely any salvage work would occur until they identified where an oil slick was coming from.
The divers were expected to be in Wanaka for several days.
Seven Navy divers and five police divers arrived in Wanaka in a RNZAF Hercules at 7.45pm yesterday with several truck and trailer loads of equipment, including a decompression chamber, a remotely operated camera and dive tanks.
They were briefed last night before beginning their work early this morning.
Sgt Nicholson said hopes that Mr Saxton could be found alive had not been realised by shoreline searches and efforts were now concentrating under water in the hope Mr Saxton's body could be returned to his family.
"Everything above the water in the search area has now been thoroughly combed. Realistically, we have had to tell the Saxton family there is now essentially little chance of finding Morgan alive. Our sympathies and condolances go out to them,'' Sgt Nicholson said.
The police would be monitoring the dive teams' efforts and updating the family as developments occur.
The accident site north of Mou Waho Island (previously known as Pigeon Island) is in the deepest part of Lake Wanaka, which is 300m deep in places.
Mr Saxton's helicopter is believed to be resting on an underwater ledge about 200m off the eastern shore of the lake.
Lake conditions were not favourable yesterday with wind gusting above 80kmh and swells reaching 1.5m.
Conditions this morning were choppy and the weather is forecast to deteriorate later today.
