Fisherman swept off rocks at Auckland's Whatipu Beach 'tried to swim to safety'

Monday, 18 November 2019

A fisherman who was swept off rocks at a West Auckland beach was hit by a 'huge wave' about 30 minutes before high tide, a witness says.

Jere Alonso, 32, said the fisherman was casting from the bottom of Ninepin Rock, at Whatipu Beach, on Sunday afternoon when the wave hit.

'He didn't notice the huge wave and that was it, he got swept away.'

A search for the man, which began on Sunday at 1.45pm and included the police Eagle helicopter, Coast Guard and LandSAR, resumed on Monday morning. 

READ MORE: Fisherman swept off the rocks at Whatipu Beach, West Auckland

Police said it was a land search of the coastal area, as aerial searches were dependent on weather conditions. 

A regular fisherman at the beach, Alonso said he had seen the man, who he described as Chinese, at the beach in the past.

He said the man, and four others who were fishing at the top of the rock, was not wearing a lifejacket.

Alonso said he was the only fisherman wearing a life jacket. 

After the fisherman went in the water, the North Shore man rushed for a life ring at the bottom of the stairs to the lighthouse, while another man called 111. 

When he returned, he saw the fisherman being swept out to sea, towards Manukau Harbour. 

'He was swimming, fighting against the current, heading towards the rocks,' Alonso said.

'I think he was in panic mode.'

Alonso tried in vain to signal to the fisherman with this hands that he should try and swim back to the beach. 

However, it was not long before Alonso saw the man's body in the water.

Alonso encouraged other fisherman to 'respect the sea' and wear a life jacket, to try and prevent another tragedy.

'It was a sad day for us,' he said.