Goat Island. Photo: Andre Richard Chalmers / Creative Commons
A popular Auckland swimming spot is asking holidaymakers to avoid the area while a rāhui is in place, following the death of a man yesterday morning.
A 69-year-old American citizen was found unresponsive after going snorkelling at Goat Island, northeast of Warkworth.
Westpac Rescue Helicopter said a crew was sent to Goat Island to assist a male patient around 11am yesterday, but he died at the scene.
His death has been referred to the coroner.
The Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust, responsible for the island, said a rāhui had been placed at Okakari Point Marine Reserve. It will be in place until 7pm Saturday.
"A person left home yesterday to enjoy the beautiful marine reserve with his loved ones but sadly, didn't return home," the trust said through a statement.
It said after meeting with police and the Department of Conservation, it decided to place the rāhui in the memory of the victim.
The trust said the area should be respected while the rāhui was in place.
"In the meantime, we would recommend visiting Matheson Bay or the Tāwharanui Marine Reserve in the Tāwharanui Regional Park for a similar experience."
The snorkelling company operating in Goat Island has been approached for comment.
Five drownings since Monday
The incident was the fifth drowning tragedy in New Zealand in less than a week.
On Boxing Day night alone, three people died in separate water incidents in the North Island.
About 7pm, a man drowned at Cape Runaway in the Bay of Plenty.
In Pukekohe, Auckland, a person also died after a water-related incident about 9.30pm.
And in Wellington, a swimmer died after failing to resurface at Hutt River in Kaitoke Regional Park.
In the South Island, a canoeist died at Christchurch's Roto Kohatu Recreation Reserve on Christmas Day.
The man failed to resurface after falling out of his canoe.
Stuff reported the victim was a man, who was with his 7-year-old daughter when the boat capsized.
Be alert
Surf Life Saving NZ said the number of people who died from drowning in New Zealand last summer was up 50 percent compared with the year prior.
The organisation said there were 15 rescues and 12 assists to safety at beaches over Christmas weekend.
Police yesterday issued a guide advising people of how to keep safe in the water this summer.
"Over the course of 2022, the Police National Dive Squad has been called out to assist with several searches for missing divers, swimmers or boaties, and many of those searches involved recovering people to return to their loved ones rather than getting them home safe," it said.
This was not the outcome anyone wanted, it said.
"We want everyone to come home to their whānau after a day enjoying the water."