Locals have joined the search for a missing person this morning after a boat with five on board capsized off Clarks Beach last night.
Video / NZ Herald
Nearly two days on from a “devastating” boating tragedy on Manukau Harbour a young boy is still missing and the search continues.
Police confirmed the search and rescue operation was resuming today but said they would be mostly focusing on aerial searches rather than along the shoreline or on the sea.
“Today’s search will predominantly be aerial based with the assistance of the Police Air Support Unit, Eagle,” said a police spokesperson.
A Coastguard New Zealand spokesperson said they had no vessels assisting with the search today.
Search efforts for the boy, believed to be 10, were called off yesterday shortly before 9pm.
The Sandspit Road School student was among five people on board a boat that capsized on Sunday night near Auckland’s Clarks Beach.
One person, believed to be a woman, has been confirmed dead in the incident, which Franklin Ward councillor Andy Baker told the Herald would hit everyone in the wider area.
“Waiuku is a pretty small community, and I’m devastated about this so I can just imagine how the family and the friends of the young fella who’s missing are feeling.”
Police were searching at Clarks Beach yesterday. Photo / Jed Bradley
Two people made it to shore on Sunday night while a third was plucked from the water by rescuers on a helicopter. All three were taken to Middlemore Hospital but have since been discharged.
Coastguard, police and locals were yesterday still searching the water around Clarks Beach for the missing boy after the boat he was on was recovered.
Baker said, “It’s all pretty terrible — anything like this. Manukau is a tricky harbour and it will be interesting to see what can be learned from this.
“You just have to be so careful.”
Sandspit principal Sharyn de Jonge said the school community’s “hearts go out to the family”.
Two rescue helicopters, the police Eagle helicopter and Auckland Airport’s hovercraft all assisted with search efforts.
A resident walking along the beach yesterday said he’d been looking for the missing child since early morning.
“The police officer told me the whole family was out there, the mother drowned and the 10-year-old didn’t have a life jacket on.
“They were fishing out at sea,” he said. He declined to be named.
Police said it was a reminder for people to be safe on the water.
“As the warmer months approach, police continue to urge all of those taking to the water to ensure they are carrying all appropriate safety equipment with them. This includes wearing life jackets.”
Water Safety New Zealand last month said 68 people have died in preventable drownings so far this year — already 80 per cent of the 10-year average of fatalities.
