Dad, son missing after dinghy capsizes
Strangers jumped from a bridge to pull three children from the cold waters of Manukau Harbour yesterday, but searchers were unable to find a man and his son.
A shoreline search for the pair was due to resume this morning, but last night both were presumed dead.
It had been the Mangere family’s first outing in the small dinghy with an outboard motor that had been bought second hand.
Police said a man and four children – none wearing life jackets – were in the dinghy, which capsized near Auckland’s Mangere Bridge after going out at 2pm yesterday.
Senior Sergeant Ian Brenchley said the people in the boat were swept westwards towards the old Mangere bridge. Some of them managed to grab hold of the pylons.
But Inspector Alan Shearer said there was little hope for the mid40s father and his 7-year-old son who were still missing after nightfall, mainly becuase of the cold water.
‘‘The chances now are very remote.’’
A 2-year-old toddler was among the three children pulled from the water.
Mr Shearer said numerous onlookers jumped from the high bridge to save the victims, however, it was unclear last night who had dragged the children from the water.
Some were taken to hospital to be checked for hypothermia.
Police said one of the children on board was taken to Kidzfirst Children’s Hospital in a ‘‘very serious condition’’.
The other people in the dinghy were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
A witness told One News she could hear the children in the water yelling out ‘‘help us, help us’’.
Mangere woman Rochelle Hawkswood went to the river to help rescuers search for the missing boy and his father.
She said accidents were not uncommon in the harbour.
‘‘It looks so sheltered, it seems so sheltered that you think you’re not going to come to any trouble, but it happens.’’
The conditions yesterday did not seem too dangerous to sail in.
‘‘You’ve got to help. They need all the eyes they can get down here.’’
Mangere Boat Club commodore Brian Anderson said the dinghy overturned close a boat ramp near the old Mangere Bridge.
He said the overturned dinghy had floated past the clubrooms, and the coastguard had checked to make sure no-one was underneath.