The boat belonging to a fisherman who has been reported missing near Whangapoua has been located.
At 2pm a private vessel came across the missing boat named Tubby, approximately 24 nautical miles off the coast of Whitianga.
No one was located on board and the boat is in the process of being recovered.
The search operation for the man, in his fifties, continues this afternoon, involving a Coastguard fixed-wing plane and Coastguard vessels from Whitianga and Great Barrier Island.
The man was reported to have left in his boat from the Whangapoua boat ramp at about 9am on Friday.
He was expected back on Friday afternoon but failed to return.
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UPDATE 1:35 pm
There has been no sighting of the missing boat and Coastguard are appealing for any information that might help locaye the missing boat and the sole 55 year old male occupant. If you have any information then please call the operations Centre on 0272954861 or on ch 61VHF or dial 111.
A large number of boats and aircraft are searching for the 6m off white Mac plastic boat named Tubby that went fishing from Whangapoua at 9am yesterday and the alert was raised when he failed to return.
Coastguard vessels from Auckland, Great Barrier, Whitianga and Pauanui along fith fixed wing and helicopters are in a large search operation that stretches from Whangaroa to Cuvier Island.
If you have any information that may help then please call the above numbers.
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A search resumed at first light this morning for a missing boat out of Whangapoua. The boat was reported as overdue to Coastguard at 5:15pm last evening. So far there have been no sightings of the missing boat with a 55 year old male as the only person onboard.
The boat is described as a 4.8m off white Mac plastic centre console boat with a black Mercury motor and was expected to be in the Whangapoua to Kennedy Bay area. However the search area is extended north to Cuvier Island.
Two Coastguard boats together with a fixed wing aircraft and helicopter are undertaking the search.
Any sightings of the missing boat or anything unusual or any information concerning the missing boat should be directed to the operations centre on 027 295 4861 or via channel 61 VHF.
