Man's body not found

BY LUKE PARKER

The body of a 33-year-old man presumed drowned at Piha on Sunday has still not been recovered.

The man was fishing off rocks on the well-known Dawson's Ledge around 5.40pm when he was swept away.

He is one of five people who have drowned around the country over the Christmas and New Year holiday period.

Police have yet to release the man's name but say he arrived in New Zealand two months ago and has been living in Manurewa.

They are trying to track down relatives in the Philippines.

"He has no other family members here," detective sergeant Eugene Pickett says.

"I've been in touch with the Philippine Embassy and I'm waiting for them to get back to me."

Mr Pickett says a Coastguard Air Patrol plane joined the Westpac Rescue helicopter and surf life-savers during the search for the man but hopes faded as darkness fell.

"Everything that could be done was being done."

Another search took place on Monday morning and police will continue to check the coastline by air when in the area.

"Usually the Westpac Helicopter will do a fairly regular patrol out there and will run the shoreline," Mr Pickett says.

"We don't stop searching but we don't physically wander along the shoreline either."

Northern region lifesaving patrol captain Lloyd Herbert says lifeguards at Piha are experiencing an unusually quiet summer, despite the tragedy.

"The first couple of weeks were really sunny and we had quite a few people down here," he says. "But it dropped off when we had a few cloudy days.

"We've done five rescues in the last five weeks."

Mr Herbert says most of those experiencing difficulties are learner surfers.

"They're not between the flags and are just going out wherever," he says.

"If you're a learner surfer and in trouble just stay on your board and put your hand up."

Mr Herbert says swimmers need to take precautions and stay between the flags.

"There's a lot of water moving around so just keep an eye on the beach. Turn around and look where the flags are periodically to make sure you're still in between them."

- © Fairfax NZ News