A passenger on board 6.5m fishing boat that struck rocks near Cooks Beach on Saturday night, remains in a critical condition in Waikato hospital today.

The boat struck the rocks about 10.30pm Saturday night with four men on board. One is believed to have a broken leg, another had a suspected arm injury. The Waikato-based owner who was at the helm at the time of the accident, is uninjured, says Whitianga deputy harbourmaster Calvin Hicks.

'The owner, he is quite distressed about the whole thing,” says Calvin.

The boat was returning from a fishing trip. The aluminium hulled boat is powered by a 200 horsepower outboard motor and is easily capable of 35 knots or about 65km/h.

An attempt is being made to remove the boat from the reef on Monday morning's high tide.

Immediately after the accident, three people on board were brought off the boat by a pair of bystanders in a rubber dinghy, but the fourth person looked to be seriously injured so they waited for the rescue helicopter to arrive, says Calvin.