Body of fisherman who got swept off rocks near Whatipu Beach found

Thursday, 28 November 2019

A body believed to be that of missing fisherman Wei Shi has washed up near a west coast beach.

Shi, 56, was swept off the rocks at Nine Pin Rock near Auckland's Whatipu Beach on November 17.

Police said officers were alerted early Thursday morning to a body having washed up at Nine Pin Rock.

Formal identification was yet to be completed but police believed it was Shi.

A witness to the incident on November 17 said Shi was hit by a 'huge wave' about 30 minutes before high tide.

Jere Alonso, 32, said the fisherman was casting from the bottom of Nine Pin Rock when the wave hit.

'He didn't notice the huge wave and that was it, he got swept away.'

He said Shi was not wearing a lifejacket, along with four others who were fishing at the top of the rock.

After Shi went in the water, the North Shore man rushed for a life ring at the bottom of the stairs to the lighthouse, while another man called 111.

When he returned, he saw the fisherman being swept out to sea, towards Manukau Harbour.

'He was swimming, fighting against the current, heading towards the rocks,' Alonso said.

'I think he was in panic mode.'

Alonso tried in vain to signal to Shi with his hands that he should try and swim back to the beach.

However, it was not long before Alonso saw Shi's body in the water.

Alonso encouraged other fisherman to 'respect the sea' and wear a life jacket, to try and prevent another tragedy.

'It was a sad day for us,' he said.

An hour's drive from Auckland, isolated Whatipu does not have its own surf lifesavers.

The closest beach with a surf lifesaving club is Karekare, the next beach around the coast.