By Beckie Wilson and Jake Beleski
A body, believed to be that of a man swept out to sea at Lake Onoke yesterday, has been found.
Police recovered the body last night around 11pm, and are notifying the man’s next of kin.
A Filipino man, believed to be a father of four, was fishing at the mouth of Lake Onoke when he was swept out to sea around 2.30pm.
He may have tried to jump a notorious channel of water, a witness said.
An air and water search was suspended shortly before 7pm last night.
Locals did their best to assist yesterday’s search by riding quad bikes up and down the beach in the hope of spotting the man.
A man from Ashurst, outside Palmerston North, was at the scene and said he had spoken to the twin brother of the victim.
“The twin brother said he was on the other side of the mouth opening.
“He had told him not to go over there but he said he was really stubborn.”
The man could not believe there were no warning signs in place at the notoriously dangerous spot.
“I would never have gone fishing at that spot,” he said.
“I always tell my son never to turn your back on the sea.”
A man from Carterton, who wished to remain anonymous, has a bach opposite the Lake Ferry Holiday Park and said the fire service had asked him to use his jet boat in the search, however the swells were too big.
“They told me a few guys were digging the channel with some shovels and where they were standing, it broke away and they fell in.
“They picked the worst time [of day] because of the southerly, and the lake has been closed for the past four days because of the sand build-up at the mouth of the lake.”
He said people did not realise how strong the tide could be, and that the swells were extremely large.
An employee from the Lake Ferry Holiday park said locals had joined in the search.
“There are at least three helicopters, a couple of police cars and an ambulance.
“Some locals have also taken their boats out.”
She said such incidents were rare.
“It doesn’t happen that often at all – the majority of people that come out are usually pretty wary of the water and understand how dangerous it is.”
In August 2015 Les Wong, 71, died after being hit by a series of 3m-high waves that knocked him over as he was scooping for whitebait at the mouth of the lake.
He was wearing a life but could not be revived after being rescued.
Last year Coroner Christopher Devonport found problems with the rescue gear, the wearing of waders and possible impairment by a lifejacket as being contributing factors in the Greytown man’s death.
