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Fishing trip turns to tragedy
By MICHELE McPHERSON
A 22-year-old Western Bay man has died after being swept away in front
of his family while fishing during heavy seas at the weekend.
The body of the Tongan man, who lived at Katikati, was found washed up
on Waihi Beach yesterday after he disappeared while fishing with family
there on Saturday night.
The body was found on the shore at the northern end of the beach, near
Two-Mile Creek, by a member of the public out walking at 8am.
According to police, the man was with a large group _ some family _
retrieving a set net from the surf when he got into difficulty and
disappeared.
Police were called about 6pm and a search was launched.
Waihi Surf Lifesaving Club used inflatable boats to look for him while
the Auckland-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter searched by air.
Police and six people from the Waihi Mine Rescue Team were also
involved in the search which was halted about midnight on Saturday.
Members of the man's family remained on the beach overnight.
A ground search resumed at 5.30am yesterday.
The drowned man had been living in Katikati for six months and was in
New Zealand on a one-year working visa.
His parents were believed to be separated with one of them living in
Auckland.
Sergeant Steve Hindmarsh said there was nothing to indicate the man had
been drinking prior to his disappearance.
"Being just on dark when he went missing, it doesn't help at all. It's
very hard to search in the water for people," he said.
Mr Hindmarsh said police were still trying to make contact with the
man's parents but expected his name to be released later today.
Mike Palmer, Waihi Coastguard duty officer, said the seas were "fairly
big".
"Basically he got caught in a rip and got sucked out to sea," he said.
"Both the Waihi boats, and the Whangamata boat came down as well and
started searching for him in very unfavourable conditions.
"By the time the boats hit the water it was sunset, we searched till
midnight and brought the helicopter down (from Waihi)."
Mr Palmer paid tribute to those involved in the search.
"I take my hat off to the boat crews for their effort on Saturday
night.
"The conditions on Saturday night were very very gnarly, there was a 2m
sea running, there were some big sets coming in."
Mr Palmer said it was important to be aware of the sea conditions.
"The time of day that these guys were setting their net was very late,
the sea conditions were rough, not being able to identify rips, all
added up to the situation."
Mr Hindmarsh of Waihi police said it was common for Pacific Island
people to spend the whole night at Waihi Beach, bringing nets in and
out of the surf.
However, he said the sea was particularly rough on Saturday night.
"He could have walked into a hole or anything. It's hard enough in the
daytime going out there and not getting into trouble," he said.
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