Survivor joins water search for missing friend

The man who survived a boating accident on Auckland's Hauraki Gulf on Sunday was back on the water today helping search for his missing friend.

The man boarded a police boat to go back to the area in the Hauraki Gulf near Browns Island where his friend Mike Innes Shaw, 49, from Ramarama, South Auckland, disappeared on Sunday.

Both men were in a five-metre runabout which sank late on Sunday afternoon. Police said they were both left floating in the water in their lifejackets and were talking to each other before Mr Shaw floated away and has not been seen again.

The survivor clambered ashore on Browns Island and was found yesterday morning and the search began.

Police search boats and a helicopter were out yesterday and today and debris found did not come from the sunken boat, said Sergeant Craig Kennedy.

He said the survivor was taken out on a police boat to join the search.

"We have taken him out to try and pinpoint some more areas if possible."

He said the police helicopter Eagle would be used again today.

"We have located nothing at all from the sunken vessel."

Mr Kennedy said the water was at its coldest after winter – a little above 12 degrees – and if the man was still in the water his survival time would be less than 10 hours.

He said the survivor was distraught but there was probably now a very slim chance of finding him alive.

- NZPA