Family and friends of a young Chinese man who drowned in Northland on Christmas Day are campaigning for bilingual warning signs about deadly coastal rips.

Searchers looking for a missing swimmer at a West Auckland beach found a body yesterday morning.

Agony for family of missing swimmer Johnny Faitaua after body found in the water near Bethells Beach, west of Auckland.

Family of missing swimmer hold vigil at Auckland beach as rescuers search coastline.

A second search has been carried out at daybreak for a man missing off O'Neills Bay on Auckland's west coast.

Sir Richard Branson sprays honeymooners Sir Ben Ainslie (right of group) and his new wife, Georgie Thompson, on Necker Island.

The Royal New Zealand Navy has discovered a third fishing vessel with illegal catch in the Southern Ocean.

Wondering how my local beach fared after a hot day with lots of human activity, I took my dogs for a run and did a spot of rubbish collecting along the shore and rock pools.

A 57-year-old Auckland man who spent a night at sea with no life jacket, lights or radio after experiencing engine trouble is among a number of boaties chancing it on the water.

It has been a tragic summer in New Zealand waters, with eight drownings since Christmas Day.

International researchers are coming together to investigate a powerful force that lurks hundreds of metres deep in the Tasman Sea.

The family of a 25-year-old man who went missing while snorkelling in Northland this afternoon are scouring the beach for any sign of him.

Off-duty lifeguards have saved two teenage girls caught in a rip and screaming for help.

Fears are growing for the lives of eight crewmen after a cargo ship overturned off the north coast of Scotland.

The Hauraki Gulf is at its most alluring - glassy calm and sparkling blue in the sunlight - and thousands of Aucklanders in small boats hover above the fishing reefs.

Following the sighting of a great white shark in Auckland this week, another family have reported seeing a great white "the size of a tractor" leaping from the water further up the coast.

A 25-year-old Auckland man drowned at Uretiti Beach, near Ruakaka in Northland yesterday, while setting a crab pot.

As thousands of holidaymakers get set to hit the beach and boaties prepare to launch, warnings are being issued about staying safe.

Four of the best photographers at the National Institute of Water and Atmosphere (NIWA) discuss their favourite shots.

A world-class surfing spot and one of Northland's most picturesque strands of coastline are among more than 40 swimming beaches hit with a "caution" label for water quality.

As thousands of holidaymakers converge on Waiheke for the summer break, new details about a controversial proposal for the island's gateway can be revealed.

A man is dead after going on a crayfishing trip in Akaroa Harbour.