Family of teen swept to sea left distraught
The family of a teenager swept off rocks at Papanui Point are devastated and rallying together.
Jack Macnicol, 17, was last seen about 1.30pm on Saturday when fishing with three other family members at Ruapuke along the coast from Raglan.
He was standing on rocks when a large wave swept him away.
The group he was fishing with rushed to help Macnicol but he had disappeared when they returned with a flotation device.
A family spokesman told the Herald the family were “absolutely devastated” by the news and his parents just wanted to get him back.
“Jack was just a wonderful young man and was adored by all his family and friends.
“A large number of family and friends have rallied around the parents and providing him with plenty of support.”
Police Search and Rescue teams finished the third day searching the coastline again yesterday on foot, focusing on the shoreline around Papanui Pt with no sightings of him.
Senior Sergeant Vince Ranger said he was extremely grateful to all those who have helped Search and Rescue teams — especially the volunteers, and the teen’s family and friends.
The search will be assessed on a daily basis, depending on weather and tidal conditions.
The searches have been starting around low tide because Macnicol was more likely to be found from mid-tide
Jack was just a wonderful young man and was adored by all his family and friends.
Family spokesman
to mid-tide over the low-tide period.
Ranger said it had been an extremely traumatic time for family and loved ones.
On Sunday a search team of about 16 people from the police search and rescue team, Coastguard Air Patrol and the Raglan Surf Club scoured land, air and sea during yesterday’s search, which covered 8sq nautical miles (about 27sq km) from Ruapuke Beach north to Woody Head.