Mysterious dinghy sparks search

Coastguard Marlborough volunteer members searched the water between Kaipupu Pt and Picton for several hours early yesterday following a report of an upturned dingy.

Coastguard Marlborough operations controller Peter Garnett said the dingy and an oar were later found, but no occupants.

However, no-one was reported missing.

Mr Garnett said the dingy was spotted about 2am by the captain of the Aratere inter-island ferry.

The dinghy was floating upside down in the area where the Kaitaki inter-island ferry normally docks.

Coastguard members later found the dingy off Kaipupu Pt and a single oar about 100 metres back towards the harbour, Mr Garnett said.

They then spent several hours searching the water back towards Picton wharf but found nothing.

Port Marlborough security staff also did a shore search.

Mr Garnett said he was keen to find the owner of the dingy, which he described as an eight-foot aluminium dingy with a white rub rail.

It also has painters (ropes) fore and aft and has one wooden oar with a yellow blade on it.