The search for a man who went missing in a Bay of Plenty lake will resume this morning, as the police dive squad is called in to recover his body.

Police, the Coastguard and a rescue helicopter had been searching Lake Rotoiti yesterday afternoon for a 48-year-old man.

Police were notified at 2.10pm that he had not resurfaced after jumping off the boat.

He had been on the boat with his family, says Inspector Ed Van Den Broek. The search was called off just after 9pm.

Ed says they will be back on the ground this morning to resume looking for the man.

'The search will be changed to a recovery operation and the police dive squad will be deployed.

'The man's family are being supported by other family members, friends, Police, Victim Support and local residents.”

This morning's operation will consist of a shoreline search and a search of the water, and this will be carried out by the Police Dive Squad and Coastguard.

Police would like to thank the Coastguard, the Harbourmaster, the BayTrust Helicopter team, volunteers and members of the public who supported the search yesterday.