A former New Zealand navy diver, rescued after three days drifting in rough weather, survived through a combination of willpower and skill, including a determination to eat whatever he could lay his hands on.

Rescue officials have described as "miraculous" the survival of Robert Hewitt, 38, who became separated from a group of eight sport diving at Mana Island, off Wellington on 5 February.

Hewitt, who had gone solo after his buddy returned to the dive boat, became separated from the boat. Bad conditions hampered searchers and it was only after some 72 hours that Hewitt was finally located.

He was found reportedly just 300m off Mana Island's north-eastern tip, not far from where he had entered the water three days earlier. He had drifted off up the coast before currents carried him back to his starting point.

Wearing only the bottom half of his navy-issue wetsuit, Hewitt was retrieved hypothermic and dehydrated, but conscious and lucid. He was recovered into a rigid-hulled rescue inflatable and then a police launch for transfer ashore and on to hospital.

Hewitt had survived be eating raw sea urchins, crayfish and sea slugs, which he was able to place in a catch bag he had been carrying. A navy spokesman is reported to have said that the diver's survival was a testament both to his naval training and his inner resolve.

Hewitt told Radio New Zealand that he had kept his motivation up by thinking about, even shouting out to, family members. He said that he had felt he was "not far from death" when he was rescued - but that the whole experience was not going to put him off diving again.

Hewitt's brother Norm, a former All Black rugby player, told reporters that it felt as though his brother had been delivered back by Tangaroa, the Maori God of the sea.



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