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Source: ONE News -
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Bad weather is hampering police efforts to launch a full scale search and rescue mission for a family of boaties missing off Maketu in the Bay of Plenty.
Tauranga Coastguard says an 18-foot runabout with two adults and three children aged 12, 13, 14 respectively on board sent a text message to family member earlier on Monday afternoon saying they were missing at sea.
It's understood one message read along the lines of "get Coastguard, lost at sea".
Since then there has been no communication by either cell phone or vhf radio.
All on board the vessel are said to have access to lifejackets.
Sergeant Craig Madden of Tauranga police says there are five metre swells, 25 knot winds and torrential rain that is reducing visibility and there have been no sightings at all of the boaties.
A fixed wing plane searching for the missing vessel had been forced to turn back because of the adverse conditions.
A rescue helicopter did take off at 6.30pm, but will only operate as long as there is sunlight.
Three coastguard vessels still on the water will continue their search throughout the night.
And in latest news, an air force Orion has joined the search for the missing family.
Commercial vessels in the area have also been searching the area believed to be between White island and Motiti Island.
