Photo: RNZ / Rayssa Almeida
A search is underway for a rock fisherman who fell into the water at Auckland's Piha Beach on Thursday.
Police said they were called shortly before 2pm about a man who was fishing off the rocks on the southern end of Piha who had fallen into the water.
The police Eagle helicopter and Surf Lifesaving New Zealand had been searching for the man, a police spokesperson said.
An initial aerial search was completed but the man could not be found.
"At this stage there is limited information about this man," the spokesperson said.
The man was described as being of Asian descent and was wearing a lifejacket at the time.
Surf Lifesaving New Zealand said a member of the public contacted Piha Surf Life Saving Club at 1.45pm after the man was seen in distress between Flat Rock and Taitomo Island.
Lifeguards at the beach immediately deployed an inflatable rescue boat (IRB) and two jet skis, a spokesperson said, while more lifeguards monitored from the land.
The Piha search and rescue team also joined the search.
Police asked anyone who had information about who the man was or who saw him prior to the report to police to come forward.
They could approach staff at Piha or contact police using the reference number P061229798.
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