News from NZ Police
Two men who were in a boat that capsized in Tauranga Harbour last night have today been charged with theft of the boat. A search is continuing for a third man.

The two men, aged 22 and 25, both made it to shore after the boat sank. They will appear at Tauranga District Court on Friday.

Search teams are continuing to look for 23-year-old Shaun Hogarth who hasn’t been seen since the boat capsized. Police are also trying to find 22-year-old Liam Kane who made it to shore but then disappeared.

Earlier news from NZ Police
Searching has resumed this morning for a man missing after a small aluminium boat sank in the Tauranga Harbour.

The alarm was raised at approximately 8pm last night after three of the men on the boat made it to shore. They had set off from the Omokoroa Peninsula and it is believed that they were fishing near Motuhoa Island when the incident happened.

The TECT Rescue Boat has this morning transported nine LandSAR volunteers to Matakana Island, Motuhoa Island and Omokoroa Peninsula (three at each location) to search the shoreline.

Members of the Mount Surf Club and Omanu Surf Club are searching the water on four Inflatable Rigid Boats (IRBs). All boaties in the area have been asked to look out for the missing man and boat.

The search is being coordinated by Police and Coastguard.

Inspector Karl Wright-St Clair said: “We are still hopeful that the missing man has made it ashore somewhere but the strong winds last night made for very poor conditions. The wind has eased a little this morning which will assist the searching.”

The family of the missing man, who is in his 20s, have been advised and are being supported by police and Victim Support.

UPDATE from NZ Police
A boat located by Matakana Island this morning has been confirmed as the boat that capsized in Tauranga Harbour last night with four men on board. The vessel was discovered by the Mount Surf Club searching the waterways on an IRB. They located the aluminium dinghy upside down by the bottom of the cliffs between Matakana Point and Tahunamanu Point, directly north of Omokoroa Point where the men set off from last night.

From the information known at this stage it would appear that after the boat has capsized the winds and currents pushed it towards Matakana Island where it grounded.

Inquiries indicate that the boat was stolen. The full facts and circumstances which led to the incident are still being established and the primary focus at this stage is locating the man who was not seen to make his way to shore.