The death of a kite surfer at Muriwai Beach was a "sobering end" to a day out on the water, a man who was at the beach says.
The victim, a man aged in his 40s, drowned after getting into trouble about 3.50pm.
Another man who was at the beach said in a post on the New Zealand Kite Surfing Facebook page about 15 to 20 kite surfers were out on the water near where the incident happened.
When the Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter arrived the man was having CPR performed on him, rescue helicopter spokesman Lincoln Davies said.
"Medical intervention was attempted but unfortunately the man died," he said.
