After a paddle boarder went missing on Saturday morning (16th) in Raglan Harbour, Ngaruawahia Police with the Raglan Volunteer Coastguard and the Rescue helicopter searched for him for three hours from mid-morning. A member of the public had reported the paddle boarder being in difficulty and approaching the Harbour mouth.
On Saturday afternoon just after 1.30pm, Police located the paddle boarder safe and well in the Raglan area. Police are satisfied the person spoken with this afternoon was the paddle boarder earlier reported as being in difficulty. The search was then ended.
Hamilton Police Detective Sergeant Dave Grace said police received a report of a paddle boarder in struggling near the Raglan harbour at 10.30am.
“he was reported to be struggling on the outgoing tide in the Raglan harbour.”
A police unit from Ngaruawahia responded, and along with Search and Rescue, the Auckland-based Westpac rescue helicopter and Raglan Volunteer Coastguard began searching the waters.
At 11.45am Raglan Coastguard located a paddleboard but no paddleboarder, said Grace.
Source: Waikato Police.