Two fishermen still missing from Taiharuru in Whangārei Heads, Northland police say

The spot in Taiharuru, known as The Gap, where the men were believed to have last been. Photo/ Michael Cunningham.

Two fishermen missing off the coast of Northland for more than 24 hours had just recently moved to New Zealand with their families.

The men - reportedly in their mid-30s - were last heard from at 4pm on Wednesday as they ventured to Taiharuru, a small bay in Whangārei Heads, to go rock fishing.

The alarm was raised shortly before midnight that same day as the pair had not returned home by 11pm as expected.

An overnight search of the roughly 3km stretch of coastline between Taiharuru Bay and Awahoa Bay failed to find the men.

However, police located their vehicle as well as some personal belongings - such as mobile phones and the men’s shoes which were found on the beach.

Police believed the men had last been at a spot known locally as The Gap - a break between two large outcrops not far from shore. Swells at the time were reportedly about 2m high.

Family spokesperson Sijoy Alex, head of the Whangārei Malayalee Association, said the men had recently moved to NZ from India with their wives and children, and were staying in central Whangārei.

“I feel for both the families who are going through a very difficult time,” he said.

The search for the fishermen continued into Thursday but the pair was yet to be found. About 15 family and friends had gathered at the bay to help bolster official efforts to find the pair.

Police Search and Rescue along with LandSAR volunteers had been scouring the coastline while the police Eagle helicopter searched in the morning.

The police Eagle helicopter carried out an early morning search for the pair. Photo / Michael Cunningham

The sound of a chopper at 3.30am awoke Taiharuru resident, who reported seeing spotlights sweeping around The Gap.

The Northland Coastguard Air Patrol joined the chopper in the air. At sea, two Coastguard vessels from Whangārei and Tūtūkākā combed the shoreline.

Police said on Thursday evening that despite ongoing efforts, the fishermen remained unaccounted for.

“We will continue to assess the situation moving forward and call on assistance from additional resources and agencies as appropriate.”

Family and friends on the hill looking out to sea during the search. Photo / Michael Cunningham.

Alex thanked the police for “doing the best they can”, saying it was probably the first time his community had experienced such an incident.

Meanwhile, police are urging the public to take care when rock fishing. They recommended checking weather conditions, swell forecasts, and having lifejackets at hand.

Avneesh Vincent is the crime and emergency services reporter at the Northern Advocate. He was previously at the Gisborne Herald as the arts and environment reporter and is passionate about covering stories that can make a difference. He joined NZME in July 2023.