A new high tech operations centre has been officially opened at the Coastguard northern region headquarters in Auckland this morning.

Surf lifesavers are launching their summer patrols over Labour Weekend, but a mixed bag of weather could deter some would-be beachgoers from taking a splash.

Two boaties clung desperately to a single life jacket off the Horowhenua coast while rescuers came painfully close but could not see them in the dark, a coroner has found.

A man has died after the boat he was in capsized in the sea off Northland today.

A Bluff woman has been named New Zealand's champion of water safety.

The body of a local politician has been found in Lake Wanaka, after his family raised the alarm when he failed to return from a fly-fishing trip at the Makarora River mouth.

A 43-year-old woman collapsed and died on a 10m launch near Whangarei this morning, despite attempts to revive her with CPR.

The head of a Navy team using sonar to search for aircraft wreckage says it's possible the bodies of 2degrees' boss Eric Hertz and his wife Kathy may never be found.

The bodies of 2degrees chief executive Eric Hertz and his wife, Kathy, who died when their plane ditched off Kawhia on Saturday, may never be recovered.

They reckon everyone’s looking at us because they think we’re cops. I’m not so sure. I think it’s more that we’re the only boat on the gulf without a fishing rod.

Aucklanders' rates have given a $46 million boost to 10 rescue, safety, arts and cultural groups in the past four years and a further $14 million gift is proposed for the 2013-14 year.

The body of a man has been found, hours after he was swept away at the Motu rivermouth near Whakatane today.

An unnecessary search and rescue callout on New Year's Day has police urging holidaymakers to advise others before starting off on expeditions.

Family members of a Northland father and son caught in rough weather when their jetski broke down headed back out to retrieve the jetski after the rescue.