A body found in the water near Opoutere Beach is believed to be that of the missing swimmer. Video / Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust
Police believe a body found in the water near Opoutere Beach this afternoon is that of a swimmer who went missing on Wednesday.
Samuel Cruickshank has been missing since he and other members of his extended family got into trouble while swimming at the beach, north of Coromandel Peninsula’s Whangamatā, three days ago.
His father, Ian Cruickshank, died, and the partner of one of Cruickshank’s daughters had to be airlifted to hospital, where he is recovering.
A group of seven family members were seen signalling for help in the water as the tragedy unfolded, with all brought to shore but one unable to be revived.
Emergency services have been searching since for the remaining missing family member, Samuel Cruickshank.
A member of the public alerted police about 1.30pm after finding the body near Slipper Island/Whakahau, police said.
“While formal identification has yet to take place, police believe the body is likely that of a swimmer who went missing on Wednesday 18 January. [...] the search and rescue operation has now concluded.”
The scene from the air over Opoutere Beach on Wednesday. Photo / Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust
They also wanted to thank all those involved in the search and rescue operation, including partner agencies Surf Life Saving New Zealand, NZ Coastguard, LandSAR, Fire and Emergency New Zealand and the Royal New Zealand Navy, police said.
Police confirmed six people from a group of seven, seen signalling for help in the water, were rescued, but one person “was unable to be revived”.
Emergency services at the scene on Opoutere Beach near Whangamatā on Wednesday. Photo / Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust
Holidaymakers told the Herald on Wednesday about their desperate efforts to save the family caught in “very rough” surf off the isolated beach.
Kathy Le Haavre and Tony Brooks, who has worked on a rescue helicopter and is a former surf life-saver, were both on the beach when they spotted a man being dragged out to sea.
Le Haavre, a nurse, spent half an hour giving the man CPR before paramedics arrived on the scene, but he was later confirmed to have died.
Both Brooks and Le Haarve believed the group was a family, as they comforted a woman on the beach whom they understood was the dead man’s wife.
“To lose her husband in front of her eyes and to know her son [was still missing] must be really tough,” Brooks said.
“She had her whole family there. Her son lost his dad. Can you imagine the heartache?”
