21 Jul 2013

Search sparked by capsized dinghy

6:18 am on 21 July 2013

A capsized dinghy sparked a seven hour search in western Bay of Plenty on Saturday night.

Coastguards and police were alerted after the three-metre dinghy was spotted about 1.5km off Karewa Parade at Papamoa beach.

Sergeant Craig Madden said the police need to confirm who owns the dinghy, which has the initials PR on it, so they can confirm nobody is missing.