Wednesday, 1 October 2014 - 6:58pm |
National News

Search for missing boy will resume at first light

1 min read

The search for a missing 5-year-old boy swept into the sea at Mount Maunganui will continue until nightfall and resume again at first light.

Enquiries into today's incident has confirmed that there were 8 extended family members together at the Mount today; two female adults and 6 children. They had walked around the Mount base track and then went down to Shelly Beach.

Two sisters aged 12 and 14 were playing by the edge of the water with the little boy who is their cousin. The others were close by watching them. A sudden large wave pulled the children into the water. The two girls managed to get to a nearby rock and were helped to shore by the adults. The little boy disappeared from view.

The two girls were taken to hospital to be checked over and have since been discharged. The family of the missing boy are local to the Tauranga area.

No further details are being disclosed about the family at this stage. Police can confirm that the two adult females present were relatives but will not discuss the relationship. The family are distraught and wanting their privacy at this time.

The base track around the Mount will reopen overnight but will close again at 7am to aid the search operation.

Unless there is any development there will be no further update this evening.

Media enquiries should be referred to  Communications Manager Kim Perks on 027 234 8256