Three dead after drownings in Pukekohe, Ōpōtiki and Upper Hutt

Three people have drowned in separate incidents overnight - one in the Auckland region, another in Upper Hutt and a third in Ōpōtiki.

Emergency responders arrived at a Pukekohe, South Auckland address around 9.30pm on Boxing Day.

“The person was pulled from the water and medical attention was provided,” a police spokesperson said. “However the person sadly died at the scene.”

Several hours earlier, a man had died following a water incident at Cape Runaway, Ōpōtiki, police confirmed this morning.

Emergency responders were called to the scene around 7pm.

A man died last night following a water incident at Cape Runaway, Ōpōtiki. Photo / Google

Medical attention was provided after the man was pulled from the water, but he died at the scene, police said.

The third incident involved a swimmer who died at Kaitoke Regional Park in Upper Hutt early this morning.

Police were called to Waterworks Rd around 12.15am after the person failed to surface during a swim in the Hutt River, a police spokesperson said.

The person was pronounced dead at the scene after being pulled from the water.

“Our thoughts are with their family and loved ones,” police said in a statement.

A person has drowned in the Hutt River near Waterworks Rd in Kaitoke Regional Park, Upper Hutt.

A blessing of the site will happen this morning and the death will be referred to the Coroner, authorities said.

Four people have now died on the water these holidays.

The water tragedies come after one man died after a canoe capsized on Lake Roto Kohatu in Harewood, Christchurch, on Christmas Day. Two people were in the canoe and one was rescued, but the man did not resurface. His body was recovered yesterday.