A search that's been underway for an overdue helicopter at Lake Wanaka is understood to have been suspended for the night.
Maritime have confirmed it's an R44 Robinson, which have repeatedly been involved in mast bumping incidents in the past.
Rescue Coordination Centre NZ (RCCNZ) has been overseeing the search for the overdue helicopter with one person on board at Lake Wanaka.
The search commenced at 1:23pm on Saturday when RCCNZ received notification from a helicopter company that one of its Robinson helicopters was overdue and had disappeared from its tracking systems.
RCCNZ Senior Search and Rescue Officer Chris Henshaw said three helicopters from the same company retraced the flight path of the missing Robinson and observed an oil slick one kilometre north of Stevenson Island and wreckage on the island's shoreline.
RCCNZ is working with the police, Coastguard NZ, a land search and rescue team and two additional helicopters to expand the search.
Searchers have been scouring the area on Lake Wanaka where the oil slick was seen, Mr Henshaw said. Another team will land on Stevenson Island where wreckage was seen to establish if further information can be gleaned.
Further updates will be provided if available. TAIC will be investigating the incident.
Lake Wanaka, located in Otago, covers an area of 192km2, and is New Zealand's fourth largest lake.
In January, a man in his 30s died following an incident on the lake's waterfront.
It's estimated the lake is more than 300 metres deep.
Newshub.
