The boat belonging to a fisherman who has been reported missing near Whangapoua has been located.

At 2pm a private vessel came across the missing boat named Tubby, approximately 24 nautical miles off the coast of Whitianga.

No one was located on board and the boat is in the process of being recovered.

The search operation for the man, in his fifties, continues this afternoon, involving a Coastguard fixed-wing plane and Coastguard vessels from Whitianga and Great Barrier Island.

The man was reported to have left in his boat from the Whangapoua boat ramp at about 9am on Friday.

He was expected back on Friday afternoon but failed to return.

Anyone who can provide information about sightings of the boat from 9am on Friday, or who locates any items of interest that may be related, is asked to contact 111 and quote event file number P04906827.

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