'We are absolutely devastated': Family of teen swept off rocks

Missing Te Awamutu teen Jack Macnicol was adored by all his friends and family.

The family of a teenager swept off rocks at Papanui Point are absolutely devastated and rallying together.

Jack Macnicol, 17, was last seen about 1.30pm on Saturday when he was fishing with three other family members at Ruapuke along the coast from Raglan.

He was standing on the rocks when a large wave swept him away.

The group he was fishing with rushed to help him but he had already disappeared when they returned with a floatation device.

A family spokesman told the Herald the family was "absolutely devastated" by the news and his parents just wanted to get Jack back.

"Jack was just a wonderful young man and was adored by all his family and friends.

"A large number of family and friends have rallied around the parents and providing him with plenty of support."

The teen was fishing with a group at Papanui Point when he was swept off the rocks.

Police Search and Rescue teams finished the third day searching the coastline again today on foot focusing on the shoreline around Papanui Point with no sightings of him.

Senior Sergeant Vince Ranger said he was extremely grateful to all those who have helped Search and Rescue teams – especially the volunteers, and the teen's family and friends who had been helping in the search.

The search will be assessed on a daily basis going forward, depending on
weather and tidal conditions.

The searches have been starting around low tide because Macnicol was more likely to be found from mid-tide to mid-tide over the low-tide period.

Ranger said it had been an extremely traumatic time for Jack's family and loved ones.

On Sunday a search team of about 16 people from the police search and rescue team, Coastguard Air Patrol and the Raglan Surf Club scoured land, air and sea during yesterday's search, which covered 8sq nautical miles (about 27sq km) from Ruapuke Beach north to Woody Head.