Famous editor in critical condition

Veteran journalist Warwick Roger remains in a critical condition in hospital after what is believed to be a near-drowning.

Mr Roger, the founder of Metro magazine, has in recent years battled Parkinson's disease but has continued to swim in the harbour near his home in Devonport.

A Waitemata DHB spokeswoman today said Mr Roger was in a critical but stable condition in the intensive care unit at North Shore Hospital.

A friend said it was a very distressing time for the family, who were just focusing on hoping that he pulled through.

Mr Roger was in an induced coma and doctors would see how he would come out of it today, the friend said.

He had been due to attend a wedding last night.

But Mr Roger's wife, Robyn Langwell, a former editor for North & South magazine, has told some of them that Mr Roger was still fighting.

Mr Roger is understood to have been rescued from Cheltenham Beach in Devonport on Thursday after his daughter found him face down in the water.

A group of lawyers were at the beach on a team-building exercise and heard the daughter screaming before getting him out of the water.

Police have said that two doctors were on the scene and managed to revive him after about four minutes of CPR.

It is understood that in recent months Mr Roger has had another incident in the water and had to be pulled out by his wife before being taken to hospital.

Mr Roger started Metro in 1981, a magazine considered to be a pioneer in New Zealand. He was also founding editor of North & South in 1986.