Swimmer drowns in river

A 20-year-old Waikato youth drowned while swimming in the Waikato River near Taupo yesterday afternoon.

Police said the young man from Kinleith, near Tokoroa, was swimming with a friend more than half a kilometre upstream from the Huka Lodge when he got into difficulty and was unable to get back to shore.

He was pulled out of the water unconscious shortly before 4pm, and attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

Police had yet to publicly identify the youth last night as next of kin were still to be notified.