A kitesurfer has cheated possible death after becoming tangled in his kite lines at Muriwai Beach.

Hawke's Bay iwi Ngāti Kahungunu say it warned authorities for decades about the risk of water contamination.

Four people have survived after their boat capsized near Wellington this morning.

The uncle of a Taranaki teen missing since his boat capsized six days ago has praised the support of the community, as the search continues for the 18-year-old's body.

A scuba diving company has been ordered to pay $70,000 in reparations for failing to keep a Taiwanese tourist safe after she died while on a dive in the Coromandel.

There was no slow-motion running down a Californian beach for dozens of young Kiwi lifeguards who oversaw up to 10,000 beachgoers each day.

Three inexperienced surfers are counting their lucky starfish after getting caught in a rip and being sucked out to sea yesterday.

COMMENT: The Govt is revising the 1987 Swimming Pools Act to make it more effective in saving kids and more practical for pool owners and councils.

Lifeguards made 581 rescues at beaches between Ahipara in the Far North and Raglan in the Waikato this summer.

Just days after New Zealand's longest river failed a major health check, a grassroots group is petitioning Parliament demanding action.

Tony Bedford was at a Coromandel beach on Valentine's Day when he saw someone in trouble in the water.

Police are warning divers to exercise extreme caution following the eighth fatal dive accident since Christmas.

The proposed weakening of swimming pool fencing law is a "reckless" experiment which will lead to an increase in toddler drownings, say specialists.

Emergency services were called to the incident at Akitio, north of Masterton and east of Palmerston North, about 5pm.

A retired couple were nearly swept out to sea when a rogue wave hit the coastline at Porsguen beach in Portsal, France.

Punakaiki residents say they want to be told if chlorine is added to their drinking-water supply.

Singer-songwriter Jamie McDell is fronting a campaign for DHL and Surf Life Saving New Zealand at Piha and Pauanui, her home beach, this month.

The family of a 5-year-old girl would like to find and thank the man who saved their daughter from drowning at Mission Bay.

Witnesses report a body has been found off the Beach Haven wharf.

The seriously injured man was taken to Middlemore Hospital for treatment.

He was Lino Costy Hellesoe, 53, from Red Beach in Auckland.

Heatwaves can bring more than just discomfort. Here are the risks identified and how to beat them.

A Hamilton father has spoken of the choice he had to make when he discovered two people struggling at Hot Water Beach.

A group of off-duty junior lifeguards rescued three adults caught in a rip at Hot Water Beach. A fourth man died after being pulled in.

Hamish Rieger spent his last lifeguard shift helping a 5-year-old with a blue-bottle jellyfish sting, and helping one of his mates out of the surf.

A man in his 30s has been rescued from a near-drowning in Piha this afternoon.

The Mt Maunganui teenager who drowned after being swept off rocks had just finished his shift as a surf lifeguard.

Schools are turning to fundraising website Givealittle to help keep pools open and Water Safety NZ is concerned about the effect on drowning rates if pools are allowed to close.

A young Auckland man got caught up in a rip and was dragged 20m out to sea.

Two teenage girls had to be rescued from the Manukau Harbour after drifting 1.5km off-shore on an inflatable swan.