Fishermen warned after Bethell's drowning

Police say fishermen casting off rocks should wear lifejackets for their own safety. Photo / Thinkstock

Police have issued another warning about the dangers of fishing off west Auckland beaches after another fisherman drowned when he was swept off rocks.

The Asian man, in his late 50s, was fishing off rocks at Bethell's Beach yesterday when he was swept away by a wave and drowned. He was not wearing a lifejacket and his body was later recovered.

Asian fishermen were regular drowning victims on Auckland's west coast beaches and both police and surf lifeguards said they needed to read the signs and be aware of the dangers.

If the man had been wearing a lifejacket yesterday he may still be alive, said Sergeant Ian Brenchley of Henderson police. Such drownings happened "far too frequently".

"We have repeatedly advertised the need for fishermen surf-casting off the rocks to wear lifejackets."

Warning signs were at west coast beaches in several languages, said Bethell's Beach Surf Lifesaving Club president Dave Comp.

He said conditions yesterday were "not flash".

"It was a big surf running and I wouldn't be going fishing in that."

He said fishers should wear lifejackets and never turn their backs on the sea.

"The worst case scenario is that you may fall into the water, and if you do what are you going to do to keep yourself up?"

Police know the identity of the man but said they would not released his name until his relatives had been told.

Meanwhile, details of a body found yesterday at Muriwai Beach, also on the west coast, were still unclear.

The body was found by members of the public but no details of the identity of the person or cause of death were available, police said.

- NZPA