Three people drowned in New Zealand waters this official Christmas holiday period - between 4pm Christmas Eve and 6am today.

Two 12-year-old cousins who have won official praise for their bravery are to meet the man they saved from drowning.

Two 12-year-old boys are being praised by police for saving the life of a drowning man at Waihi Beach yesterday.

A mother has been hailed a hero after she drowned trying to save her son yesterday.

A man watched in horror as his brother drowned in stormy surf at Whiritoa beach on the Coromandel Peninsula on Christmas Eve.

For the past five years, on average, 10 people have drowned in New Zealand waters over the official Christmas holiday period. Water Safety New Zealand wants this dropped to zero.

A 16-year-old Christchurch boy who drowned at Lake Pegasus, north of Christchurch, has been remembered as an active Year 11 student who was a keen rugby, basketball and volleyball player.

A 16-year-old Christchurch boy who drowned at Lake Pegasus north of Christchurch has been remembered as an active sportsman.

Terminally ill Troylane Tetai didn't have much time left, and he wanted to use the little he had to fish. But his life came to an end sooner than anyone was expecting.

A devastated family ran to the sea to try to save a 19-year-old man who fell in from rocks at Muriwai Beach, but he drowned before rescuers could reach him.

The Piha couple criticised for not calling police after taking in a distressed Iraena Asher the night she drowned in 2004 are seeking to have a coroner's findings "quashed".

Promising Fijian rugby player Eroni Gaunavou suffered an epileptic seizure before drowning at Akitio beach in April, a coroner has ruled.

The family of Private Michael Ross say they are relieved the soldier's body has been found, a week after he fell into a lake near Waiouru.

Private Michael Victor Ross, 29, from Kaitaia, has not been seen since he fell overboard from an inflatable boat while returning from a training exercise in a lake.

A surfer in mid-30s was in a critical condition in Taranaki Base Hospital last night after being found floating beside his board in metre-deep water off the coast near New Plymouth.

Police have found the body of the 7-year-old boy who went missing along with his father when their dinghy overturned in Manukau Harbour yesterday.