Water search suspended for second day

The search for a missing teenage boy in Dunedin waters has been suspended for a second day.

Emergency services were alerted late on Thursday afternoon after the teen went into the water at St Clair Beach and failed to return to shore.

Police said they were working with Surf Life Saving NZ, LandSAR and MarineSAR to try and locate him.

A shoreline search was completed on Friday morning with the help of the Police Dive Squad.

The search for the missing male has resumed this morning. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery

The search area was also extended further south between Second Beach and Tunnel Beach, and included a Search and Rescue drone, a handful of swimmers and three IRBs.

The search would resume at 8am on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou on Friday afternoon announced it had placed a rāhui, or temporary closure, on the area for three days.

This covered Black Head to Tow Rock and applied to the gathering of kaimoana (seafood) and recreational activities.

Surf life savers in IRBs continue their search this morning. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery

The initial search for the teen began at 4.30pm on Thursday after reports of a male in trouble in the water at Second Beach, near St Clair Beach.

Police continued the search until 9pm, with the assistance of Surf Life Saving New Zealand. An Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter assisted.

Otago Surf Life Saving search and rescue co-ordinator Max Corboy said six inflatable rescue boats combed the water starting at the Second Beach cliff, where the swimmer had entered the water.

Mr Corboy said they had covered an area stretching from St Clair to Tunnel Beach over a period of more than four hours.

"We’re pretty gutted that we couldn’t find a result for the family."