The search for a missing 15-year-old presumed drowned after he was swept out to sea at an Auckland beach will resume today.
The teenager and his 12-year-old brother were caught in a rip at O'Neill Bay, near Bethells Beach on Auckland's west coast, about 2.30pm on Thursday.
Zebedee Pua, 15, of Sunnyvale, Henderson is presumed drowned, Fairfax reported.
Searchers scoured the water and coastline on Friday until it was too difficult to see.
About 15 family members kept vigil at the beach on Friday.
Zebedee's older sister, Geraldine Pua, said they were trying to cope as well as they could.
"He was happy, he was enjoying himself. We wanted to come back to a place we had been in our childhood... it's just struck us now. We woke up this morning and he wasn't there. It's an empty feeling."
The drowning toll for the year reached 12 on Wednesday. It was 15 at the same time last year.
NZN