Day of water tragediesThe incidents today occurred in Canterbury, Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Mahurangi East, north of Auckland. A person died after a water incident at a popular Canterbury tourist spot this afternoon. 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.”A man is also missing after a water-related incident in the Waikato River this afternoon. 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.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 10, 2026 09:37 UTC