Three fishermen whose bodies were found on the Māhia coastline this morning have now been formally named by police.
They were 37-year-old Elwood Higgins of Gisborne, 33-year-old Taina Sinoti of Te Hapara, and 38-year-old Damien Macpherson of Te Karaka.
"Police’s thoughts are with their whānau at this incredibly distressing time."
Three fishermen were reported missing after failing to return from a fishing trip amid wild weather on Monday afternoon.
Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club president Roger Faber told 1News at the time three boats were out fishing for bluefin tuna and one had not returned.
"We tried calling the other boat that's now missing, thinking they had already headed back, but when we returned and saw their trailer still there, we got really concerned."
The last contact with the missing boat occurred around 9pm on Monday.
Two people were spotted in the water off Māhia Peninsula yesterday but visual contact was lost before they could be rescued.
Rescue Coordination Centre general manager Justin Allan said swells and gusts due to the adverse weather made the operation to find the pair "dangerous".
Swells were reaching as high as 6m and winds were gusting up to 50 knots, he said at the time.
Their deaths will be referred to the coroner.
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