Friday, 29 September, 2017
Update
Police can now confirm the name of the man missing from Ruapuke Rocks in Raglan.
He is Doyle Frickey, 67, from Hamilton.
Mr Frickey was seen struggling in the water on the morning of Monday, 25 September.
Despite extensive searches in the area where Mr Frickey was last seen, he has not yet been located and Police believe he has drowned.
Police and Coastguard will conduct an aerial search over the weekend, with the aim of locating Mr Frickey’s body and returning him to his family.
Monday, 25 September 2017
Update 8:35pm
A land based search team will continue looking for the man missing from Ruapuke Rocks in Raglan on Tuesday morning.
The search will focus on the area where he was last seen.
Police, Coastguard and Search and Rescue teams assisted by a helicopter, small plane and a jet ski searched the area on Monday following a report someone was seen struggling in the water at around 11.15am.
Anyone who was in the area at the time, saw the fisherman or has any information that might help, is being urged to call Sergeant Vince Ranger at the Hamilton Central Police Station on (07) 858 6200.
Senior Sergeant David Raffan of the Waikato Police has advised that:
Emergency services are responding to a report of a person missing off Papanui Point, south west of Raglan. It is located 40 minutes by car south west of Raglan on the Coastal Waikato’s rugged west coast off the Whaanga Road.
At approximately 11:15am this morning, Police were called to a report of someone seen struggling in the water in the Tasman Sea. The person, believed to have possibly been fishing off the rocks, has not been seen since.
Police, Coastguard and Search and Rescue teams have been searching the area, with the assistance of a helicopter, a small plane and a jet ski.
The Raglan-based Gallagher Coast Guard vessel and two jetskis are on the water and an Auckland-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter is in the air looking for the lost fisherman.
A police spokeswoman said eyewitnesses reported a fisherman was seen on land before he was washed into the water.
“Police are making further inquiries and ask anyone who has any information and has not yet spoken to police to contact Sergeant Ranger, of Hamilton Police.”
Can you help? Contact: Hamilton Police: (07) 858 6200