A young man is feared drowned after he and a friend tried to cross the Waikato River in Hamilton last night.

Two young men suspected of drowning at a popular surf beach north of Gisborne yesterday were brothers.

The last moments of Johnny Faitaua's life - laughing and shirtless in the sunshine - were captured on film by his girlfriend Hannah Elise as the pair enjoyed a day at O'Neill Bay beach.

A man who died after a boat capsized off the Kapiti Coast north of Wellington on Saturday has been named by police.

Two teenage cousins tried everything in their power to rescue a woman who drowned at a Northland beach, with one getting caught in a rip himself.

A 54-year-old woman has drowned at a Northland beach after being caught in a rip while boogie boarding.

The number of pre-schoolers who died in drowning incidents increased by 60 per cent last year, new figures show.

A woman in her 50s has died in a suspected drowning incident in Northland today.

The grandmother of an 11-year-old boy who died after he got caught in a rip says the tragedy highlights the need for more children to be taught water skills.

Family and friends have farewelled a 16-year-old boy who was swept out to sea at Ninety Mile Beach on December 27, remembering him as their 'miracle boy'.

An 11-year-old boy who died after being caught in a rip at a Northland beach yesterday has been named.

A man who "sacrificed his own life" to save his two daughters and a 7-year-old niece from drowning is being hailed a hero by his whanau.

An intoxicated man who walked into the sea at a Christchurch beach fully clothed this morning is missing and presumed drowned.

Police have named three people who have died in water-related accidents so far this holiday season.

Family members of a missing teenager were keeping an emotional vigil on a Northland beach last night - the latest incident in a horror start to the holiday season in the water.

A man who died at a south Auckland beach yesterday was trying out a new surf board he received as a Christmas present.

Family members arriving at a Christmas Day get-together found police cars outside the home after a little relative drowned in a swimming pool set up in the backyard.

A 1-year-old child has drowned in a temporary backyard pool at a residential address in Manurewa today.

The toddler who drowned in a shallow pond on a farm near Westport has been named. She was 21-month-old Anamiek Manshande.

Police are investigating the circumstances around how a 21-month-old toddler drowned in a shallow pond that was fenced off.

A 21-month-old girl was playing outside her Westport home before she died after falling into a farm pond yesterday, police said.

The heroic actions of a teen who swam to shore to raise the alarm during a family fishing tragedy were last night lauded by her relatives.

Charges laid against four people over the death of an Ashburton man in June have been upgraded to manslaughter.

A desperate man managed to send two text messages to his partner after his boat sank, but they were dismissed as a joke.

Coroners' recommendations are being ignored and that needs to change to prevent more deaths, says a report.