Man drowns at Long Bay Beach

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The manager of a North Shore recreational centre has described the scene of a drowning this afternoon as a fairly calm beach with plenty of swimmers.

A man has died following the incident at Long Bay Beach on Auckland's North Shore, around 4.30pm.

Police and St John Ambulance staff rushed to the scene after receiving reports a person was in trouble, but efforts to revive the man were unsuccessful.

"Sadly he has died at the scene," a police spokesperson said.

Sir Peter Blake Marine Education and Recreation Centre (MERC) general manager Yuin Khai Foong rushed down to the beach shortly after receiving a call from Auckland Council.

The Council staffer was after a defibrillator, which Foong said they had lying around for "incidents like this one".

Upon arriving at the beach, Foong said a woman was already administering CPR to the man.

Someone from the public had told him the woman was a nurse.

There were plenty of people around, though Foong said it was unclear whether they were from a group who had been swimming with the man.

"It's hard to tell whether people are emotional due to the situation they've found themselves in, or whether it's because they know the person."

Foong said the waves on the beach weren't huge "even by Long Bay standards".

There was very rarely big surf at the North Shore spot, and today was nothing unusual.

"People have been out there swimming all day," he said.