Police suspend search for teen swept off rocks

Searches for a teenager who was swept into ferocious West Coast seas on Sunday have been suspended and police will monitor likely "hot spots" along the coast over coming days.

Morgan Durrant, 15, of Charleston, 27km southwest of Westport, is presumed drowned after he and a 15-year-old companion were swept into the water by a big wave at Joyce Bay on Sunday morning.

Morgan's friend managed to scramble ashore and raise the alarm, sparking three days of intensive searching involving up to 60 volunteers from Greymouth, Westport and Karamea.

Search controller Constable Sean Judd, of Westport police, told NZPA today no search teams were active today. Police would monitor coastal areas where a body was likely to wash ashore.

"The major part of the search -- having large numbers of volunteers in the field -- is over," Mr Judd said.

Police had compiled a list of tides and likely times and identified a number of "hot spots" to check regularly as part of a "limited continuous search".

Mr Judd said searchers were disappointed at not finding any trace of Morgan, who was wearing a yellow raincoat when he was swept into the sea.

Morgan's family were understandably devastated.

"For a small community it's certainly a very tragic thing," Mr Judd said.

- NZPA