Diver found dead on beach named

A man who was found dead on a Hawke's Bay beach after he went missing from a diving expedition yesterday has been named.

He was 37-year-old Andre Matthews from Haumoana, which is 10km northeast of Hastings.

Police said the man failed to surface after a dive off Pourerere Beach, about 30km east of Waipawa, about 1pm.

Emergency services including a rescue helicopter were called to the scene and the man's body was found at about 3.30pm.

Sergeant Denis Tatere said today that the cause of Mr Matthews' death was unknown, but may be established by a post mortem.


Meanwhile, police have named a Hikurangi man who drowned while drag-netting at a Dargaville Beach on Sunday.


He was Kevan James Moore, 35.


Mr Moore was fishing at Baylys Beach when he was apparently dragged out to sea by the undertow about 3.30pm.


He was one of two fishermen to drown during the weekend.


James Tuhikitia Haimona, 50, from Rotorua, died on Saturday while attempting to retrieve his fishing net at the mouth of the swollen Rangitaiki River near Whakatane.


- NZPA