Five men drown over holiday break

Water Safety New Zealand CEO Matt Claridge says it's a tragedy that five families will begin the 2014 in mourning.

Five men drowned - four of them while fishing or gathering seafood - this official Christmas holiday period.

The toll is the same as last year and below the five-year average of nine for this period.

Water Safety New Zealand CEO Matt Claridge says it's a tragedy that five families will begin the new year mourning the loss of a father, brother, son or grandfather.

"Yet again men - especially those out hunting and gathering - dominate our drowning statistics. And with a number of close calls and rescues involving males around the country, this number could easily have been even higher," said Mr Claridge.

Two of the men drowned while fishing off rocks at Maunganui Bluff near Dargaville, a third when scuba diving at Motiti Island and the fourth while fishing off the wharf at Kauri Point. The fifth drowning occurred in a home bath.

Mr Claridge says New Zealanders need to look after one another around water. "We need to remind each other when we're heading out boating or fishing off rocks - wear a lifejacket, watch the weather, don't drink alcohol and let others know where you're going.

"I say this every year, anything more than zero is too many deaths. New Zealand as a nation needs to decide that the issue of drowning must be addressed and water safety needs to become a priority for all."

WSNZ will release the drowning toll for 2013 tomorrow.