Family hire divers to search for lost man

Family and friends of an Auckland man presumed drowned while crabbing at Uretiti Beach, who have been involved in the search for the missing man. Photo / Michael Cunningham

The family of a missing crab fisher have hired a commercial dive team to scour the waters along Uretiti beach.

The 35-year-old man, from Auckland, was setting crab pots off the popular beach when he fell out of an inflatable boat about 400 metres from shore on Sunday. He was wearing a wetsuit but his lifejacket was on the beach.

Despite an intensive sea and land search on Sunday afternoon the man was not found and more shoreline searches between tides on Monday and yesterday by police failed to find him.

Sergeant Simon Craig said the family of the man was launching a search and had organised a Whangarei-based commercial dive team to start today. They were also considering hiring a helicopter as part of the search.

The move comes as plans are revealed of a seminar for the Chinese community in Auckland to teach about safe crabbing and the dangers of Uretiti. It will include a demonstration of how to set crab pots at Uretiti the following day.

Mr Craig said police were working with the family and if items of interest were found by the divers police would be called in to help.

A group of friends and family arrived at the beach on Monday to support the missing man's wife, who had been on the beach when the tragedy happened.

Police were yesterday telling beach goers there was a rahui in place which would last until the body was recovered.

"Bream Bay police will continue to do searches of the beach over the coming days," Mr Craig said.

The tragedy comes two weeks after police revealed a campaign to try to reduce the number of drownings on the beach and, in particular, to educate an increasing number of Asians visiting the area to catch paddle crabs. This is the third tragedy on the beach involving a crabber of Asian ethnicity since Christmas Day 2011, and the 11th drowning in Northland this year.

As part of the police safety campaign, headed by Waipu's Senior Constable Martin Geddes, a seminar about safe crab fishing is to be held in Auckland aimed at Asian communities next month.

The day after the seminar a bus will bring people to Uretiti where there will be a beach fun day and a practical crab fishing demonstration.

The seminar will cover how to net safely, the importance of wearing lifejackets and the beach trip will give people a first-hand look at the sea, conditions and dangers.

Mr Geddes said close to 1000 people a day visit the beaches in the area in the peak of summer, many of whom were crab netting.

"We welcome the fishers, many of whom are from Auckland, but some of them may not be aware of the dangers and we wish to have the opportunity to share with them some safety precautions."

Also part of the campaign is having signs in different languages erected at Bream Bay beach entry points. Mr Geddes has also worked with WaterSafe Auckland to produce a pamphlet about crab fishing safely, to be handed out by "ambassadors" patrolling the beach.

Whangarei District Council said it will work alongside other agencies to promote a public water safety message at Uretiti, possibly with warning signs in multiple languages.

At present the council's signs at the beach alert people to bylaws about alcohol, dogs, horses and vehicles on beaches, and also contain conservation information about birdlife, Paul Dell, Group Manager District Living, said.