Search for missing person in Waioeka River near Ōpōtiki continues

Rescue efforts have been battling strong and dangerous weather conditions in Ōpōtiki over the weekend.

“Dangerous” river conditions during the weekend have hampered search and rescue efforts for a person still missing in the Waioeka River.

The person was travelling in a car with two others south of Ōpōtiki when the vehicle they were in went down the bank between Waioeka Pa Rd and Waiata Rd, about 10.20am on Friday.

“We haven’t found the car or person yet, [the search is] still ongoing,” said Mark Looney, owner-operator of Motu River Jet Boat Tours in Ōpōtiki.

“When water conditions improve [the] national dive squad will arrive,” he said.

Since Friday teams had been searching from the crash site “right down to the sea”, Looney said.

They were heading to the crash site twice a day, morning and afternoon, and officials estimated the search area to be about 40 kilometres.

According to Looney, members of the public had tried to assist with the search efforts but weather had made being in the water too dangerous.

The crash occurred near the historic Tauranga Bridge over the Waioeka River. Photo / Laura Smith

“Most of the locals have realised that.

“River conditions are not safe for anyone to go in the water. It’s too dangerous for them.

“The potential for them to get in there and drown is very high.”

About 20 people turned up at the crash site to help on Friday, Looney said.

According to MetService, thunderstorms were forecast to pass over the region this afternoon.

“We see lightning flashes in that area and quite heavy falls,” said lead weather communication adviser Gerard Bellam.

“The good news is that it’s sort of passing through quite quickly and [there] will be sort of a respite overnight.”

Strong northwesterly winds, with gales on the coast, would make the search and rescue efforts “far from ideal”, Bellam said.

The day before the crash was “quite a wet day” across the Bay of Plenty.

Bellam said rainfall at the start of October showed “quite an unsettled start which raised the river levels”, Bellam said.

Rotorua had recorded 131mm of rain “already” and most of it fell on Wednesday and Thursday, Bellam said.

Whakatāne recorded 73mm of rain and Galatea had 88mm in the same period.