Police are encouraging people to remember safe boating practices after search and rescue staff were deployed for a man who was thought to be missing out of the Houhora Harbour, only to be found safe. The man, who took to the water on Thursday, had told a friend he was coming back to land on the same day. When the man didn't return, the friend notified police, and search and rescue staff employed the use of a plane to do flyovers over the harbour in search of the man. The coastguard was also used to send emergency signals out over the radio; however, the man could not be contacted either by radio or phone. Fortunately, the man returned to shore on Saturday and explained to emergency services staff that he had changed his mind and chosen to stay on the water. Northland Police senior sergeant Mohammed Atiq said it was a valuable lesson ahead of summer for boaties to tell others where and when they were going on the water, and to carry multiple forms of communication such as a radio and phone.
Offenders chased
A group of offenders led police on a two-hour, 65km car chase in the Far North yesterday afternoon, before escaping arrest when they hitchiked with an unwitting passing driver. The chase began at about 2.30pm near Pakaraka before police pursued the vehicle up State Highway 10 to Airstrip Rd, off Otangaroa Rd. The vehicle was then dumped and the occupants, believed to be between two and three individuals, escaped on foot. The police dog squad was called, however, police soon learned two people believed to be involved in the chase were picked up by an unwitting passing driver and taken to a second location. While the police dogs had clothing left by the vehicle to pick up the suspects' scents, they were unable to track the individuals.
Copter extinguishes grass fire
A helicopter was called in to extinguish a grass fire in Omapere on Saturday. Burning about 200-metres from the road at about 2pm, two fire crews from Omapere and Rawene attended the fire, which was about 60 metres by 100 metres in size. With the help of a helicopter, fire crews left the scene after about four hours. It preceded a burnoff which got out of control in Mangawhai at 2:45pm the same day. Approximately the size of a car, crews put out the fire and left the scene by 3:30pm. Fire and Emergency NZ shift manager Carren Larking said there was no damage to the home but could not confirm what the residents were burning.
Ngunguru cemetery plan
A management plan is being developed for Ngunguru cemetery. The Whangārei District Council's Cemeteries team is developing the plan for next year and would like to hear from anyone who has any connection to it. They are hoping to start by updating the cemetery register and then to map the plots and record and access all the memorials. The next stage could include restoring an accessway from the beach to the cemetery, clearing some plants to reduce their impact on plots, and putting in a memorial that records all burials on the site. The team are also working with the McCleod Bay community to preserve and set up a management plan for the Whangārei Heads Pioneer Cemetery.
