KEY POINTS:
Wairoa police have named a man who drowned off Table Cape on the Mahia Peninsula yesterday.
Alan George Johansen, 49, was snorkelling with companions when he got into trouble.
He was one of five people to drown on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Senior Sergeant Tony Bates said those swimming with Mr Johansen spotted him in difficulties but by the time they got to him he had died.
"The circumstances are not suspicious, but the exact cause as to why he got into difficulties is unknown, he said.
In Whakatane, police said a man who drowned at Ohope Beach yesterday was Trevor Wayne Prout, of Ohope.
He lost his life while surfing about 3.30pm.
In Canterbury, the police dive squad today recovered the body of a 25-year-old father of three who drowned in the Waimakariri River yesterday.
Larry Pau's wife and three children stood helpless on the banks of the river while he and 16-year-old Sioa Taiulu were sucked under by a swirling current.
Police recovered the body of the teenager about 9.30pm yesterday, but did not locate Mr Pau's body until this morning.
Searchers yesterday team found the body of tramper Annmarie Lee, 39, of Lyttelton, who drowned in the Karamea River - 1 00m downstream from where she was last seen the day before.
- NZPA
