Bay teen vanishes in boating tragedy

Specialist police divers today joined the desperate search for a Mount Maunganui teenager who vanished in a fishing tragedy - as teachers paid tribute to the promising young rugby player.
Steven Robinson, aged 13, was today still missing after a weekend boating accident at Te Kaha, 70km northeast of Opotiki.
The boy was fishing on Saturday with two rugby friends and the father of one of them when the 6.3m aluminium boat flipped backwards at remote Schoolhouse Bay about 1.30pm. Swells were 3m at the time.
They were about 400m from shore when the accident happened. The two other boys made it back to shore and the father was later rescued by a kayaker.
Extensive searches by air and on land failed to find any sign of Steven, whose lifejacket was ripped from him in heavy seas.
The two other teenagers were wearing their lifejackets.
The father was treated at Whakatane Hospital for a fractured shoulder but joined the search yesterday, as did Steven's family and up to 100 Te Kaha residents.
Search and rescue co-ordinator Senior Constable Johan van der Wouden said a five-strong police dive squad arrived last night and was to start searching this morning.
Another aerial search by fixed-wing aircraft was planned this afternoon. As the sea search continued this morning, Steven's teachers at Mount Maunganui Intermediate paid tribute to the talented young sportsman.
Year 8 teacher Lynley Schofield said Steven was a popular student who was a talented sportsman and a member of a Tai Mitchell Shield rugby team.
The Tai Mitchell shield is a tournament for 300 of the Bay's best primary and intermediate school students.
"He wasn't the biggest of players so it was talent he was selected on," Ms Schofield said.
Steven was due to start at Tauranga Boys' College this week along with the two friends he had been fishing with.
"He was really looking forward to College and getting into his rugby."
Ms Schofield said: "He was a popular student with plenty of friends and was known around the school for his smile.
"He was one of those students who I was interested in watching develop over the years. He was that type of boy," Ms Schofield said.
School principal Royston Scholes recalled presenting Steven with a principal's award for excellent work last term.
"He was certainly a good student with a bright future," he said.
Te Kaha Constable Floyd Pratt said the Otorohanga boat-owner knew Maraetai Bay, also known as Schoolhouse Bay, well and had launched there about 500 times.
Mr Pratt said police were now looking for a body.
Mr van der Wouden, the search co-ordinator, praised the contribution of the Te Kaha community.
"The locals, in the normal way of the coast here, have all come out of the woodwork and the local marae is supplying accommodation and meals," he said.
"It doesn't happen in many places in New Zealand but it does here. It's unbelievable."
He said police were still trying to work out the cause of the accident.
Meanwhile, a Hamilton man died early today after the boat he and a friend had gone fishing in capsized in the Firth of Thames.
The 4m aluminium craft overturned 2km offshore about 8.30pm yesterday and both occupants decided to swim for shore.
After six hours in the water, one of the men made it to land 12km north of Tapu. A search was started for his friend, who was found about 300m offshore by Thames coastguard and was brought to shore but died shortly after.