Pāpāmoa Beach: Young swimmer reported missing, warning issued over ‘not nice’ conditions

Emergency services were called to Pāpāmoa Beach after reports of a swimmer who had gone missing. Photo / Alex Cairns

Emergency services were called to Pāpāmoa Beach this afternoon after reports a child was missing in the water.

Surf Lifesaving NZ Eastern Region lifesaving manager Chaz Gibbons-Campbell said it was notified of a missing swimmer off Te Ara Place in Pāpāmoa.

But shortly afterwards, they were told nobody was in the water.

Gibbons-Campbell said it was still unclear whether that meant someone had been rescued from the water.

He understood the person involved was a child but did not have any further detail.

However, Gibbons-Campbell said the conditions were “not nice” for swimming.

“The troughs we have been experiencing all summer are still there.

“They are quite deep along the beach in Mount Maunganui, Ōmanu, and Pāpāmoa.”

He wanted to remind people that lifeguards were no longer on patrol and his advice for the final weekend of the school holidays was for beach-goers to “know your limits”.

“If in doubt, stay out and keep children within arm’s reach, close enough to cuddle.”

A Hato Hone St John spokeswoman said it received a call at 2.17pm of an incident at Pāpāmoa Beach near Te Ara Place. But it was stood down “en route”.

Emergency services were called to Pāpāmoa Beach after reports that a swimmer had gone missing. Photo / Alex Cairns