UPDATED: An 83-year-old boatie tipped out of his tinnie near Omokoroa earlier today has been rescued safe and well by Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard.

'I believe he was just basically reaching for something, not sure what, just leaned out too far and tipped over,” says Coastguard operations manager Simon Barker.

The tinnie named Free Willy was left running at full throttle without an operator in Tauranga Harbour today until stopped by the Coastguard.

The boatie, who wasn't wearing a lifejacket, was able to swim to a sandbank and his boat was left going round in circles in the direction of the outgoing tide.

'We got the information from police. I'm not sure how he was first spotted, I think from people from land, because the boat was going round and round in circles, which drew the attention of people.

'Certainly by the time we got there, there were police up on the shore with his wife, and they could see him. He was just stranded out there. But by then the boat was right down towards Motuhoa Island.”

The man received a couple of cuts, but no hypothermia.

'He was just wet,” says Simon. 'There was no wind it was like glass up there, which would have stopped any windchill.

'He was just a bit too far from Omokoroa to walk home.”

Video to come.

Earlier:

Emergency services are looking for a person missing in the harbour near Omokoroa Point.

Coastguard's TECT Rescue is at the scene and the coastguard Sealegs has also been called.

It is understood the person has gone missing from a launch in the area.

Reports on local VHF channels received about 12.50pm indicate the person has been seen on a sandbank above the water line.

Sunlive will have more details as the come to hand.