Search for fisherman who was swept into sea on Auckland's west coast enters second day

Tuesday, 6 October 2020

Surf Life Savers have been searching for the missing fisherman near O'Neill Bay.

The search for a fisherman swept into the sea on Auckland’s west coast continues.

Search and Rescue and the police eagle helicopter are involved in the search at Kauwahaia Island, near Bethells Beach, a police spokeswoman said.

Do you know more? Contact melanie.earley@stuff.co.nz

Bethells Beach Surf Life Saving club captain Leonard Mead said the man had been rock fishing with a group at O’Neill Bay, when he was swept out.

Police were alerted to the incident around 1pm yesterday.

The man was swept away in the surf at O'Neill Bay, near Bethells Beach.

* Fisherman missing off Auckland's west coast, search underway

* Whitebaiter survives being washed out to sea near Glenavy

Police and lifeguards have spent Monday and Tuesday searching for the man.

The Bethells Emergency Callout Squad was alerted at 1.30pm and immediately launched a search with two inflatable rescue boats.

Despite an extensive search yesterday by lifeguards, police and the Auckland Westpac rescue helicopter, the man couldn’t be found.

Mead said it’s “vital” for anyone rock fishing to wear a life jacket.

“Life jackets save lives, it’s as simple as that. You never know when a freak wave is going to come along and potentially sweep you into the sea.”

Hampering the rescue is a lack of cellphone coverage on the west coast, which Mead described as a “major barrier” to alerting help in the Bethells area.

“If you see someone in trouble you should always try calling 111 and ask for police to send the surf lifeguards.

“However, if you can’t get reception there is an emergency phone in the Bethells Beach carpark next to the public toilets that goes directly to Surf Life Saving’s rescue communications centre SurfCom.”

Since May, there have been 30 call-outs for people in trouble in the water in the Northern region, from Ahipara down to Raglan, Surf Life Saving Northern Region CEO Matt Williams said.

“For reference, there were 31 call-outs in Northern Region for the whole of last year – including over the summer – and we haven’t even reached the summer months yet.

“At least 15 people have had their lives saved or received first aid from lifeguards in that time,” Williams said.