UPDATED 9.37pm: The two men who drowned this morning at Makorori Beach near Gisborne were local brothers.

One of them remains missing.

The main search for the missing man ended without success as darkness fell.

The two brothers, one aged 21 and the other 18, got into trouble in the water this morning.

A friend who was with them made it to shore.

The body of the older sibling was found soon after the tragedy occurred, but his younger brother remains missing.

Police will continue with shoreline searches through the night.

The full scale search resumes at first light tomorrow.

The police dive squad has arrived to join the search in the morning.