A boy in his teens is believed to have been swept away in the Rangitikei River.

Twice as many Aucklanders drowned in preventable tragedies last year than in 2016.

Dozens of people were rescued and treated at Auckland's west coast beaches today.

Gisborne rescue helicopter flies in to save stranded boy.

Schoolboy rowers escape after a falling tree sinks their boat.

A yachtsman was rescued from the Nelson Harbour after being in the water for five hours.

Overflow from stormwater drain at Takapuna deemed to be low risk to swimmers.

The 3m shark was spotted close to shore at Te Arai Pt in Auckland.

Takapuna Beach is closed after sewage flowed into the swimming area between the flags. Credit: Dean Purcell

Big waves that pose a risk to people have started to pummel West Coast beaches.

They were cooling off on a hot summer's day but a shark alert put paid to holiday plans.

The vessel disappeared after it ran out of fuel.

Whanganui mum Holly Toohill said she has nightmares about the day her son nearly drowned.

Police mystified about how the boat, spotted about 1.35pm, came to be upturned in water.

Police rushed to Bucklands Beach boat ramp about 5.10pm.

An algal bloom has fouled the water in Te Waihoura (Lake Ellesmere).

The Motukea woman who drowned at Maruia Falls on Saturday has been named.

Woman drowns at Maruia Falls in upper South Island.

The coroner has now released her findings into the 2015 double drowning.

Drowning is the fourth biggest unintentional cause of death in New Zealand.

A body found in Lake Wanaka has been identified as a 26-year-old from Tauranga.

Emergency services were called to the scene just after 1pm.

A kayaker has died at a Bay of Plenty beach this afternoon.

Police will be out patrolling Auckland's waters this summer to educate and save lives.

Each death a 'heartbreaking tragedy', Water Safety NZ's Jonty Mills says.

Drowning Prevention Auckland speaks with Chief Executive Davin Bray at Westhaven.

The man has been named as 44-year-old Paul Johnston of Balclutha.

Several rescues have been made at Ocean, Waimarama and Waipatiki Beaches.

Parents have gone to court in Australia over whether he should be buried or cremated.

Four men rescued after getting blown out onto Lake Taupo in their cheap inflatable rafts.