A day of water tragediesThe incidents occurred in Canterbury, Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Mahurangi East, north of Auckland. Another person is in a serious condition after being pulled from the water in Tasman District. Police were notified about 1.15pm that a person had been pulled from the water by the harbourmaster at Akaroa on Banks Peninsula. The death will be referred to the coroner.”Water safety adviceWater Safety New Zealand chief executive, Glen Scanlon, urged people to keep in mind the key messages around water safety at this busy time. He advised Kiwis to never swim or dive alone in any of New Zealand’s water environments.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 10, 2026 19:26 UTC