Covid-19 Delta outbreak: Two deaths on Auckland's Manukau harbour in two days

A person, possibly in a waka, died after a mishap in the Manukau harbour yesterday while paddling to Mangere. Photo / Angela Gibson

Two people have died in water incidents on the Manukau Harbour in Auckland's first weekend of relaxed Covid alert level restrictions.

And Water Safety NZ is reminding Kiwis, particularly Aucklanders stuck in many weeks of lockdown, to check their gear and their own physical fitness before getting into their favourite water-based activities.

Police, Coastguard, and Airport Fire and Rescue were first involved in the search for a missing diver off the coast of Cornwallis Beach in West Auckland on Saturday.

Police confirmed they were notified around 8.25am of a missing diver.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter and the Police eagle chopper were used to help the find man, who was located about 10am.

Police were still making inquiries into his death but it had been referred to the coroner, however a man who witnessed the search said the current and swells were very strong on Saturday.

"We felt like the water was tapu," said Victor, who only wished to give his first name.

"I've been to that spot hundreds of times, I'd fished that water so many times and there was not even one bite (that day), and it was just odd."

And yesterday, emergency services were called to the Manukau Harbour to reports of a kayaker in difficulty off the coast of Hillsborough about 2.40pm.

A body was found and winched from the water.

The person's kayak was also recovered and police inquiries were continuing.

INCIDENT: This morning, Coastguard received information from Police of an overdue diver off Cornwallis on the Manukau...

Posted by Coastguard New Zealand on Friday, October 8, 2021

The Herald understands the person was in a waka and got into difficulty as they paddled towards Mangere.

Water Safety chief executive Daniel Gerrand said he was also aware of a rock fisherman who was rescued at Bethells Beach on Friday after being swept off the rocks.

Fortunately the fisherman was wearing a lifejacket but it still required help from the rescue chopper and surf lifesavers from Bethells.

Aucklanders have been cooped up at home and were simply out of practice with their favourite activities.

"We haven't been out paddling, we haven't been out diving. There's equipment issues. We had a lot of diving fatalities last year and some of the feedback and insights was that the gear wasn't fit for purpose," Gerrand said.

"We've had such along time and people might normally have had their gear serviced by now and it's just that 'oh, she'll be right mentality' and heading out again and testing it.

"I think fitness has to be an issue, too. We've just not been doing these activities."

He suggested people consider the conditions before heading out and having a few test runs first and even stay a bit closer to the shore in case something did happen.

Search and rescue and lifeguards were not at full capacity either and only just received the notification to get back outside.

"Our rescue services just aren't at capacity either."

Gerrand said there was also pressure on people to provide food for their families and many people were going out in either risky wild, conditions or simply not wearing appropriate gear - including a lifejacket.

"We are in tough financial times so the gathering of kai and kaimoana is becoming an essential part of people's diets. So we are seeing more and more potential risk taking because of this.

"So going for a dive on a crappy day because you have to is really different to recreational diving. So there are challenges there that we have to address, and this is just the first weekend.

"Some of the risk taking is completely unnecessary.

"You want to come home."

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is due to announce, at 4pm today, whether there'll be a change in alert levels for areas in level 3 including Auckland and various Waikato districts.