Fai search suspended

The search for young New Zealand Warriors star Sonny Fai has been called off for the day and he is still missing, presumed drowned off the coast of a West Auckland beach.

Fai, a 20-year-old who made his NRL debut for the Warriors in 2008 and made 15 appearances, was swimming at Bethells Beach with three others following a training run on Sunday evening.

It is believed that after being in trouble when pulled out into the surf, the three other men -including Fai's younger brother - were saved by rescuers but Fai was unable to be found.

An alarm was raised at around 8pm and a search party was summoned, although it was called off about 10pm when he was unable to be located.

The full Warriors squad was due to resume official pre-season training on Monday but instead joined the search party at Bethells Beach.

"This is absolutely devastating for everyone who knows Sonny," Warriors football manager Don Mann said.

"He's hugely popular with all of us at the club.

"There is only one place we wanted to be today - that was out at Bethells Beach helping the family in any way we could and also supporting each other at this terrible time."

Mann added that the NRL has offered counselling services to Fai's family as well as his team-mates and Warriors staff as required.

A player of massive talent who was signed to the Warriors as a 14-year-old, the second-rower/centre had been touted an NRL star since travelling as 18th man for the Warriors at the end of the 2005 season.

He played a big part in the Warriors' unlikely run to the NRL semi-finals in 2008, using his 1.92m, 109kg frame to great effect on attack on the left flank.

He was the Warriors' Under-20 Player of the Year in 2007 and is signed to the club until the end of the 2010 season. His past achievements in rugby league include representation in the Junior Kiwis from 2004 to 2007 along with stints with New Zealand Under-18 and Under-16.

He was also named in New Zealand and Samoa's training squads for the 2008 World Cup.