Drowning victim was trying new board

A Westpac Rescue Helicopter also responded to the distress call. Photo / File

A man who died at a south Auckland beach yesterday was trying out a new surf board he received as a Christmas present.

The 47-year-old man was pulled from the water by two members of the public at Karioitahi Beach, 70km southwest of Auckland, after he was spotted waving and yelling for help.

The beach-goers tried to resuscitate the man, as did dozens of Surf Lifesavers, paramedics, and a doctor but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

It is believed the man was trying out a new surf board he received as a Christmas present when he got into trouble about one kilometre north of the beach.

"He got the surf board for Christmas, so it's unfortunate the first outing ended the way it did," Karioitahi Surf Lifesaving Club head Mike Lawrence said.

He added: "We're waiting to find out from police whether he drowned or whether it was a medical related issue that caused him to get into difficulty."

An autopsy was expected to take place either today or tomorrow.

Mr Lawrence praised the two beach-goers who pulled the man to shore.

The pair were believed to have been surf cast fishing in the area when they spotted the man waving for help.

"They were quite brave to go out and assist," he said.

"We don't normally recommend members of the public performing rescues because you'll often see the rescuer gets in almost as much trouble, if not more, than the original victim, but they did a fantastic job of getting him in and starting CPR themselves until the lifeguards got there. Full credit to them for what they did."

The men were not known to the surf club and were not believed to be regulars to the beach, he said.

The death was the second drowning in two days, after a 25-year-old man drowned off Uretiti Beach on Christmas Day.