Australian police are investigating after 50kg of suspected cocaine was discovered near the body of a diver on a riverbank in New South Wales.

A man wearing high-end diving equipment was found unconscious near the Hunter River in Newcastle, just over 100 miles north of Sydney, police said.

Despite being attended to by paramedics, he died at the scene.

Several packages containing a white powder believed to be cocaine were found nearby.

Detective Superintendent Robert Critchlow said detectives are trying to establish whether the diver and the drugs are linked.

They “may well be”, he added, but said he and his colleagues are “open-minded as to the options in front of us”.

An overseas-registered ship docked near the crime scene has been searched and the crew interviewed, Mr Critchlow said.

How do Australia’s elections work and who are the ones to watch in 2022?

How Australia’s first interest rate hike in more than a decade could impact the election

Qantas Sydney to London route will become world’s longest direct flight at 20 hours

Authorities are seeking help in identifying two small boats reportedly seen near the vessel on Sunday night.

Surrounding waters are being searched by divers, assisted by officers from the Australian Border Force.

Related posts:

Australian Open fans criticised for ‘disgusting’ booing of COVID vaccine rollout Israel elections: Benjamin Netanyahu falls short of majority in exit polls Tsunami warning in Hawaii after 8.2 magnitude earthquake strikes off Alaska Peninsula Scientists call for ‘refreezing’ of the Arctic after several ‘never before’ events Olympian’s widow welcomes couple’s baby girl 15 months after he died in fishing accident This French town with the sea in its heart shows why the fishing dispute won’t just blow over Senior Russian diplomat: ‘We don’t trust British diplomacy’, it’s ‘worthless’ Boy, 5, dies in Ukraine days after sister and parents shot dead by Russian troops Kremlin says West behaving ‘like bandits’ and Russia ‘too big’ to be isolated Civilians stuck in towns on Kyiv outskirts as shells rain down and Russian forces close on capital Shane Warne’s body transferred to Thai mainland – as manager says family ‘shattered’ by his death Civilians cower on the ground with shells exploding overhead as they flee Russian assault