A Givealittle page has been launched for the whānau of three fishermen whose bodies were found in Māhia this morning.
The page also names the trio as Elwood Higgins, Taina Sinoti and Damian MacPherson.
It was set up by Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club to support whānau with any costs that arise.
“As the club, we wanted to offer a neutral and trusted space for anyone wanting to donate to the families directly affected by this tragedy,” the club wrote.
As of 3pm, the page had already amassed some $6,395 in donations.
The money will be paid to a verified club bank account and distributed to the three families.
The largest public donation made so far came from JT Contractors, which offered $500.
Speaking to RNZ’s Morning Report, Gisborne mayor Rehette Stoltz said the news was heartbreaking.
“Our community is in mourning.”
“Everyone is waking up to this news and our community is right behind them.”
Stoltz said the region was experiencing some of the worst weather it had seen, which made the search difficult.
Poor weather conditions hampered the rescue attempts, and have triggered a local state of emergency in Wairoa, where river levels nearly peaked at the same depth as during Cyclone Bola in 1988.