Search is stopped, nothing found yet

An extensive search for a teenager missing off the north Taranaki coast has been suspended until Wednesday.

A land, sea and air search launched in an effort to find Matt Smith took place over the weekend, with Sunday’s efforts coming to an end about 4pm.

Smith, 18, disappeared on Monday when the 5.3 metre aluminium boat he and a friend were using to check their cray pots was hit by a wave, capsizing the vessel about one kilometre off the coast from Port Taranaki around 6.30am.

Acting area commander Senior Sergeant Thomas McIntyre said the stretch of shoreline from Waiwhakaiho to Oakura was searched extensively on both days but nothing of interest was found.

He said if Wednesday’s search was unsuccessful, the search would cease until new information was found.

On Saturday, a team of 35 search and rescue volunteers from Whanganui and Taranaki spent a fruitless day combing the north Taranaki coastline.

A fixed wing aircraft has been used to patrol the water from the air and McIntyre said surf lifesavers in their inflatable rescue boat or IRB were also deployed.

A land based search team also checked the shoreline between Waiwhakaiho and Oakura.

While the Whanganui volunteers had gone home after Saturday’s search, a team from Taranaki joined police staff on Sunday, McIntyre said.

To date, searchers have found no sign of Smith, who was believed not to have been wearing a lifejacket. The sea conditions around the area had proved challenging for searchers in the past.

On August 24, police said they no longer expected to find him alive and their focus was on recovering his body.

McIntyre said police were grateful to all of the people and organisations involved in the search.

‘‘Our thoughts are with the missing man’s family and friends at this sad and difficult time.’’