One person is dead and two are missing after they were swept out to sea while net fishing at Port Waikato, south of Auckland, this afternoon.
A man also drowned at Goat Island, north of Auckland, today.
A search and rescue operation is underway to find the two people still missing from Port Waikato, who disappeared around 4pm.
Westpac Rescue Helicopter crewman Leon Ford said one man had already been found when the helicopter reached the scene.
Surf lifeguards' desperate attempts at CPR failed to revive him.