Disasters · Karioitahi searchKarioitahi Beach missing swimmer: Overnight search continues into SundayWritten November 15, 2026 at 6:28 AM UTCWatchTranscript0:00Karyoitai Beach missing swimmer.0:02Overnight search continues into Sunday.0:06Search teams searched Karyoitahi Beach overnight for a person still missing after0:10four others reached shore.0:12Five people got into difficulty in the water, and police assessed one survivor as0:16serious but stable.0:17The search continues into Sunday, with the fifth person's fate still unknown.0:21Surf life saving search and rescue teams returned to the beach on Sunday morning.0:25They're working along the west coast, southwest of Auckland, where conditions can0:29vary sharply from one stretch of shoreline to the next.0:31Police were called at about six: thirty p.0:34m.0:35On Saturday, November14, after an alert that five people were in distress, Saint0:39John also responded, and police began searching with partner agencies.0:43One person remained missing after four people came out of the water.0:46That left searchers looking for the fifth person while emergency services assessed0:50the survivors.0:51Three had minor conditions alongside the more seriously affected survivor.0:54The descriptions of that survivor's condition differ.0:56Police gave a serious but stable assessment on Saturday.1:00The survivor was also reportedly initially critical and subsequently stable.1:03Acting inspector Kurt Wineki described the person as serious but stable.1:08It's unclear whether the critical assessment reflected a different moment or a1:11different assessment.1:12All four survivors reached shore, but they hadn't all escaped injury.1:15Search and rescue support coordinator Samantha Larson described teams going back to1:20the coastline repeatedly.1:21She said they'd been on the beach the previous night, returned that morning, and1:24were preparing another search task.1:26Saturday evening's emergency became an overnight search.1:29Surf life saving teams worked at the beach during the night and returned on Sunday1:32morning.1:33Larson said another task was being prepared as efforts to find the missing person1:37continued.1:38Subscribe to this channel for updates on the search at Karyoi Thi Beach.1:41Larson described difficult conditions at low tide on Saturday evening.1:45She said a lot of water was moving through the area, and people could move quickly1:49in it.1:50She also warned that inexperienced swimmers can struggle to identify rips and holes.1:54Larson called this a dangerous part of the West Coast, with aggressive conditions1:58that change from spot to spot.1:59Her warning extended into Sunday, even though conditions looked more favorable.2:03She identified a hole to the left of the flagged area.2:06She also identified a rip farther to its right.2:08Those observations show how close hazards can be to a designated swimming area.2:12Nobody has explained exactly what put these five people into difficulty on Saturday.2:16Surf Life Saving New Zealand urges people to swim between the flags and enter the2:20water only when lifeguards are on duty.2:22Larson urged beachgoers to check patrol times before traveling.2:25If lifeguards aren't there, she said, Don't go in.2:28Her further warning was simple: If in doubt, stay out of the water.2:32Anyone who sees a person in difficulty should call one hundred eleven and ask for2:35police, so an emergency response can be coordinated.2:38A seven-day RUI has been placed on the stretch of beach north of the car park.2:42The precise start and end times and which activities it covers haven't been2:46specified.2:47Search teams were still working on Sunday to find the fifth person.Read the articleStory timelineHeyDex
