Floating debris on the tide at Onerahi sparked a search. Photo/File
A packet of chips, steak, a jandal, an oar and a wallet found floating in the Whangarei Harbour suggested a boating mishap.
The discovery by fishermen off the Onerahi foreshore sparked a police search for a man believed missing overnight on Tuesday. But the 60-year-old owner of the items was
found safe on his launch anchored near Onerahi yesterday morning and was able to tell police what happened.
Senior Sergeant Cliff Metcalfe said the boatie, who lives between his house and his launch moored off Onerahi, was standing at the back of his launch, unloading groceries from the dinghy.
However, the current was strong and soon the man was struggling to hold onto the dinghy while maintaining his grip on the launch.
The current dragged the dinghy further away and the man tried to use his feet to haul it back. But the weight of the man caused the dinghy to tip and fill with water and sink immediately. The man was able to hang on to the launch but was left without a cellphone as it sank with the dinghy.
