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Teams searching a South Westland lake for a Dunedin plane that went missing in 1978 say an object sighted does not appear to be an aircraft.
The Piper Cherokee Six went missing in 47 years ago. It took off from Dunedin with seven people on board and has never been found.
But following recent information from volunteer aviation investigators, police, Navy and Coastguard crews have renewed the search.
On Tuesday, the search team deployed sonar equipment in Lake Moeraki, north of Haast, from a Coastguard boat as 12 family members of passengers watched from the shoreline.
Fine weather aided the multi-agency search operation, led by police, that began at 8am with a karakia led by local iwi.
Coastguard West Coast volunteers launched the boat about 9.30am with Navy personnel on board in fine conditions, a police statement said.
About 12.30pm, the weather turned, rain started to fall and thunder could be heard.
Sonar reports showed an object of interest and the dive squad was deployed to investigate it about 1pm.
Senior Sergeant Mark Kirkwood, who is in charge of the operation, said the object was worth looking at closely, but they were not confident it was an aircraft.
“After 47 years, we understand the significance of this moment for the families of the seven people who disappeared, some of whom are here, and for everyone who has worked to find answers about what happened to them.
"We will take time tomorrow to have a closer look."
The search would continue on Wednesday and further analysis of sonar imaging would take place.
"We will continue to search other areas of the lake that we did not search today,” Snr Sgt Kirkwood said.
Police have asked members of the public to keep clear of the operational area while the work continued.
- Allied Media and RNZ