Kaipara boating tragedy: Search for Francie called off for tomorrow

The Francie charter boat. Photo / Supplied

The search for the missing Francie has been called off for tomorrow after efforts to recover the vessel failed today.

Eight men died when the Francie capsized while crossing the Kaipara Harbour bar last Saturday afternoon with 11 men on board, in one of the worst maritime disasters in recent history.

Inspector Mark Fergus of Waitemata Police said "nothing of significance" was found today, and there will be no search tomorrow.

"After two days searching using Police along with Coastguard and the Navy with their specialist search equipment, nothing of significance has been located," he said.

"We will not be searching tomorrow, but will evaluate all the data gathered from the last two days of searching and will decide how we will progress our search from here."

Two of the men who died, cousins Alipate "Pate" Manumu'a, 33, and Sunia "Junior" Onga'unga, 43, were buried by their families today.

Their funeral was held at their Methodist church in Otara yesterday.

The Victims of the Francie. Photo / Supplied

The men were both loving husbands and fathers, Manumu'a has three children and Onga'unga has four.

They enjoyed fishing together and would take charters with groups of other men about once a fortnight.

Funerals for the Francie's skipper Bill McNatty, 68, Aureua Aria, 59, Fonua Taufa, 43, have already been held this week and a service for Fred Marsters, 58, will be held on Monday.

The body of Tevita Tangi, 31, will be taken back to Tonga next week. The body of Taulagi Afamasaga, 56, is still missing.