Alcohol a factor in drowning death - police

The occupants of a yacht near the Chelsea Sugar refinery alerted police in the early hours of the morning. File photo / Dean Purcell

Alcohol was involved in the drowning of a Polynesian man whose body was found in the Waitemata Harbour early this morning.

Police Inspector Willie Taylor said members of the public aboard a yacht near the Chelsea Sugar refinery called police just after 1am.

"They think they've seen someone in the water but they've been unable to get to him.

"They could hear a voice calling out in the water, we got another two calls between there and West Harbour - so quite a range of a voice calling out for help. Last night was really still, so his voice has been heard from three different angles.''

Police put craft on the water and a helicopter up but at 2.05am a body was found near the factory.

Inspector Taylor said police worked back against the outgoing tide to West Harbour and found two friends who had been looking for the man, believed to be aged between 20-30 years old.

"A group of mates had been fishing and one of them had decided to go for a swim, got caught up in the tide and got carried a long way, and drowned. It's generally thought that alcohol is the aggravating factor as well.

"The tide rips out there, so he's gone a long way. He hasn't read that situation well at all. It's sad, especially when you hear that alcohol and water, alcohol and swimming. It's just that message.''

Inspector Taylor said the water temperature was about 16 degrees last night.

Police said they were contacting next of kin and would not release the man's name.