Hopes are fading for a man who went missing at sea when the boat he was in capsized in rough conditions near New Plymouth on Monday morning.
At around 6:30am, two men took a small aluminium boat to sea to check on their cray pots, but about 500 metres from shore, things went badly wrong.
"For unknown reasons the boat has overturned - and they've both been thrown into water," Acting Taranaki Area Commander Senior Sergeant Thomas McIntyre says.
Despite the rough conditions the pair were not wearing life jackets, even though the boat was carrying them.
The pair attempted to swim back to shore, but the younger of the two, an 18-year-old, struggled in the swell.
The 26-year-old told police he threw his friend a life jacket - and then made the agonising decision to swim back to shore alone.
"It's a traumatic event for him as well. I mean he's swum a long way to get to shore in trying conditions and that's a miracle in itself," Snr Sgt McIntyre says.
It took the man more than two hours to get ashore.
Police, Coastguard, local Surf Livesavers and the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter were then called in to help the search.
"As time goes on our hope diminishes and it's a tragedy for the family," Snr Sgt McIntyre says.
The man who made it to shore has been taken to hospital where he is in a serious, but stable condition. Police say the search for the missing teenager will continue on Tuesday.
Newshub.
