A ute has been recovered after floating and then sinking in Napier’s inner harbour.
The Toyota Hilux utility vehicle entered the harbour about 8.30am on Thursday off Meeanee Quay.
The incident is understood to have been an unfortunate mistake, rather than deliberate.
Police confirmed no one was in the vehicle at the time of the plunge.
Divers located the ute fully submerged downstream from where it entered the water, before removing it just after 2pm with the help of towing company Trade Towage.
Blair Hislop works at Napier Sailing Club, across the harbour from where the ute is thought to have entered the water.
He said he did not see the vehicle go in, but looked up and saw it floating on Thursday morning.
He said that because the tide was going out, the vehicle floated probably 70m before getting “nose heavy” and disappearing under the water.
He said it was visible for only a few minutes before sinking.
Hislop called the Coastguard to report the incident and said he saw one person walking alongside the water’s edge following the vehicle as it floated, before it sank.
The ute is thought to have entered the water on a large gravel area near the Coastguard building and the Pandora Rd bridge.
Discoloured water not related: HBRC
The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) says discoloured water reported nearby was not related to the submerged vehicle.
The regional council shared a picture on social media on Thursday of some pink water along the shoreline in the inner harbour.
An HBRC spokeswoman said the “bloom” was first reported on Wednesday night.
“The pink substance is most likely Noctiluca scintillansbloom, which has been previously observed in 2021.
“This species of alga does not produce biotoxins that are directly harmful to humans.
“However, this bloom can still pose some risks to people like skin irritation and, if it persists, it might also affect the marine life by depleting the oxygen available and releasing ammonia as the algal cells decay.
“Fortunately, it is localised and contained into an area and with the changing wind conditions it might be dispersed.”