Searchers now seek boy's body

SAVED: Three ill-prepared fishermen on the brink of being rescued.

The search for a 16-year-old North Shore boy who was swept away while swimming in rough conditions at 90 Mile Beach on Saturday was scaled down on Sunday, all hope of finding him alive having been lost.

The boy was in the surf with his father and other family members near Hukatere, 16 kilometres north of Waipapakauri Ramp, when he was last seen at about 5pm. (A 28-year-old woman from Wellington was described as lucky to survive the surf on Boxing Day when bystanders saw her waving for help in the same area).

Northland police Search and Rescue co-ordinator Sergeant Neil Pennington said on Sunday that there was no longer an "opportunity for rescue," and searchers would be entering a body recovery phase. Local police and Ahipara surf life savers in an inflatable boat scoured the coastline at low tide yesterday morning following extensive shore and air searches, without success.

"It's a waiting game now. There's not much more we can do," Sergeant Pennington said.

He was also involved in Saturday's rescue by Coastguard and the Northland Electricity rescue helicopter of three "ill-prepared" boaties who spent a night on rocks south of Motoroa Island, off the Karikari Peninsula, after their boat capsized in rough water. They had no life jackets, very little clothing, and were lucky to be alive, he said.

The actions of the trio, who failed to return after leaving Rangaunu Harbour in a five-metre aluminium boat on Friday afternoon, attracted strong criticism from Maritime NZ deputy director Lindsay Sturt.

"It sounds like these fishermen failed to follow all the basic rules," he said.

"It's not rocket science. It is quite simple to make sure you are wearing a life jacket, let people know where you are going and when you will be back, and take a communication device, even if it is just wrapping a cellphone in a plastic bag.

"There are plenty of water safety messages out there, but sadly, some people, usually men, are ignoring them. They have an attitude of 'she'll be right' when often that is not the case at all. They over-estimate their abilities while under-estimating the risks."

The men had been reported overdue at 1.12am, Coastguard Radio using VHF to appeal for sightings of the boat and launching a search by the Northland Air Patrol and Coastguard Houhora volunteers, using a private vessel, at first light. The Northland Air Patrol found the upturned boat at 6.30am, Coastguard Houhora arriving soon after to find three people on rocks. Unable to reach them due to rough conditions, one of the trio swam to the Coastguard vessel, telling the crew that one of his friends was suffering severe hypothermia and the other had sustained several gashes.

The rescue helicopter was called to winch them to safety.