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Queenstown police want to speak with a man who was in the area where a kayaker disappeared last Friday.
Gellert Csaba Mudra, 41, a Hungarian, was last seen paddling a hired kayak on Lake Wakatipu about 4.45pm Friday.
The kayak was found floating with the paddle and lifejacket stowed inside about 6pm.
The man police want to speak with, also a kayaker, was in the area of Queenstown Bay, near the Botanical Gardens between 4.30pm and 5.30pm, Detective Sergeant Grahme Bartlett of Queenstown police says.
Witnesses described seeing him park a dark coloured motor vehicle, possibly a stationwagon, with roof racks, at Queenstown beach.
He was wearing a wetsuit and using a yellow river kayak, Bartlett says.
Police believe this man might be able to help with inquiries.
The police national dive squad joined Queenstown police in searching for Mudra on Tuesday.
Search and Rescue members were hunting for him around the lake and in nearby bush, with police divers from Wellington extending the search to the lake floor, Bartlett says.
Police had not ruled out Mudra having landed and walked away from the craft into the bush, or the town.
Mudra is described as 185cm tall, 95kg, with short grey hair and with a "middle-aged spread".
He was wearing wire-rimmed glasses, a light blue polo shirt, a beige long-sleeve woollen pullover, blue jeans and beige trainers.
Mudra moved to Queenstown with his wife 18 months ago.
