A paddle boarder who was believed to be missing has been located by police and is safe and sound.

Documents show there were 13 near-misses at Auckland pools recorded last year, most involving children.

Hundreds of swimmers will race in the King of the Bays event on Auckland's North Shore today, but one competitor has a special motivation for taking part.

The boat of two fishermen missing from Port Waikato since Monday may never be recovered, police say.

The search for two fishermen missing at Port Waikato enters its third day today. The police Eagle helicopter will search the area near the mouth of the river.

The air search today for the two missing fisherman was unsuccessful, police say.

A fisherman missing with a friend after crossing the Port Waikato Bar usually stayed clear of the notoriously dangerous stretch of water.

Those close to a drowning man who was pulled from Wellington Harbour last week say they are still mystified as to why their friend was in the water.

With the Surf Life Saving New Zealand patrol season officially ending this Easter weekend, and many boaties still out on the water, New Zealanders are being urged not to be complacent about safety.

Tsunami sirens will be tested at midday on Sunday at north and west Auckland beaches.

A man's body was discovered face down in shallow water alongside the Waikato River this morning.

A top Auckland doctor charged over a serious boating incident in which a man was left bleeding in the water may escape without a black mark against his name.

A man who went for a "drunken dunk" in Mission Bay last night is extremely lucky another man searching for his Go Pro was able to assist in his rescue, police say.

A family's last swim of their summer holiday nearly turned to tragedy when their 5-year-old daughter passed out in the sea.

A state-of-the-art $2.5 million vessel is set to make a marked difference in the way water rescues are carried out.

The burial service for two brothers who drowned at a popular surf beach north of Gisborne at the weekend will be held today.

The prayers of a grieving family were answered yesterday when a body believed to be that of missing teenager John Wakelin was found in the surf at Wainui Beach.

Queenstown's harbourmaster isn't impressed after four men he advised to get off their inflatable airbed floated under bungy jumpers - and were fined.

Two young men who drowned at a popular surf beach north of Gisborne on Saturday were "really neat kids", their father says.

New signs should be placed around a popular swimming spot after a man drowned trying to save his son, a coroner says.

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.

A person got into difficulty and was pulled from the water breathing and conscious at Whananaki North yesterday afternoon.

A male is missing in the water at Bethells Beach on Auckland's West Coast.

Free water-skills lessons for Auckland children are being offered with a catch: a parent or caregiver must be in the pool with the child during each of the five sessions.

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'.

The holiday drowning toll is a "huge disappointment", Water Safety New Zealand says.

Man who died saving his young niece from drowning at a South Taranaki beach yesterday has been named by police.