Family 'struggling to cope' with loss of heroic mum

Police, Surf Lifesaving, and the Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter searched for Ms Brown until nightfall on Tuesday. Photo/Warren Buckland

The family of a "heroic" mother who drowned while trying to rescue a child near Haumoana say they are struggling to understand "how such a tragic event could happen from a beautiful family day at the beach".

Police have named Amy Jenny Brown as the woman whose body was recovered early yesterday morning, after she went missing at the Tukituki river mouth on Tuesday evening.

She drowned while trying to rescue one of two girls, aged 8 and 5, at the lagoon near Haumoana beach. Both girls were treated at Hawke's Bay Hospital, and discharged Tuesday night.

Yesterday a family spokesperson said in a statement their "loss is overwhelming".

"Our family has lost a loving mother and faithful friend; A partner, precious daughter, sister and beautiful niece and cousin.

"This is a terrible tragedy that we are struggling to come to terms with. We are however a strong family and with the support of so many, we will get through."

The family were "eternally grateful" to the two women who dived into the sea on Tuesday to rescue "our precious little ones".

It is understood the five-year-old girl was Ms Brown's daughter, and the eight-year-old her stepdaughter. Both girls were in the water, but just one was in distress, police said.

The family spokesperson thanked the bystanders who assisted the family.

"We would like to acknowledge their bravery and thank the group of people on the beach who supported the family until emergency services arrived."

The family also wanted to thank those who had helped, especially the volunteers, police, emergency services and others who "searched for Amy and returned her to us".

"We are at a loss to understand how such a tragic event could happen from a beautiful family day at the beach. Our loss is overwhelming, but our appreciation for the efforts of so many people from the Hawke's Bay services and community is heartfelt. Thank you all so much."

The family asked for privacy.

Emergency services found Ms Brown's body early yesterday morning. Photo/File

Ms Brown's body was found about 6.30am yesterday metres from where she disappeared, Detective Senior Sergeant Martin James said.

The area where she drowned appears deceptively calm. Members of the community spoken to by Hawke's Bay Today had swum in the lagoon, with children known to swim in the shallows at low tide. Many said they would think differently about swimming there now.

The coastal community yesterday paid their tributes to the woman, with many calling her a hero. At Haumoana beach, flowers were left near the site and a rahui placed over the area.

Haumoana local Ashley Ormsby said she placed the rahui on Tuesday evening while the search continued, out of respect for the woman who acted with "a mother's instinct".

Surf Life Saving New Zealand Hawke's Bay callout squad co-ordinator Phil Harman said the area was "known to be quite dangerous", with its large drop-offs hard to see in high tide.

"We're talking sort of a metre and a half drop off. When it does drop off, it drops into a mud bottom. Last night, we were…up to our thighs in mud.

"If you can imagine if someone steps off that bank, and goes into the mud, it will hold them there."

Based on previous drownings in similar water environments, Mr Harman said they suspected the woman's body would have stayed within the lagoon, so focused there when the search resumed at first light yesterday with four IRBs and 12 lifeguards.

Mr Harman could not recall any drownings in that area. There had been some in nearby river mouths, including a "very similar" incident in 2015, when an international student drowned in the Waitangi Lagoon near Awatoto.

The incident was a reminder for people to keep children close around water, choose swimming spots carefully, and swim in patrolled areas.

"In this situation the victim was from out of Hawke's Bay so her knowledge of the area was very limited. You need to be able to swim where it's safe, patrolled areas, public swimming pools, those are safe areas".

Yesterday, police thanked locals for their help, and for offering use of their own quad bikes, paddle boards, and boats to use in the search for the woman.

"Everybody got behind it. Some really good community spirit came out of it," Mr James said.

Water Safety New Zealand have not yet added this drowning to their database. Their official 2018 drowning toll is at five.

Including Tuesday's, this would be the highest total at this point in a year since before 2014.