22 Apr 2022

Search for missing fisherman suspended

7:59 pm on 22 April 2022

The search for a man who failed to return from a fishing trip in the Bay of Plenty has been suspended for the weekend.

Jason Kauta.

Jason Kauta. Photo: Supplied/ Mia van den Broek

Jason Kauta has not been seen since setting out from Tōrere near Opotiki on Easter Sunday morning.

The lid of a white chilly bin and Kauta's fishing rod have washed up on local beaches.

Sergeant Nigel Forsyth said given where the items have been found so far, there is concern Kauta's boat may have been submerged.

The search is expected to continue next week with a further sweep of the area, depending on weather conditions.

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