Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Tauranga Harbour drowning: Victim named

By APN News & Media
Bay of Plenty Times·
11 Feb, 2012 09:46 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article


Peter Apaapa spent his life helping others, his grieving family says.

So it's no surprise to them that the man who had become a grandfather for the first time only weeks ago lost his life doing the same thing.

The 54-year-old Tauranga father drowned after he went to help his
son and nephew at Te Puna beach, near Tauranga, on Friday. The children, Peter Junior, and Cotton Tai, both 11, survived.

Apaapa's wife Kahui was too upset to speak last night, but her sister Reihana Rolleston said the family considered Apaapa a hero.

Apaapa and his wife rushed to the children's rescue when they became caught in the current during a family trip to gather pipi.

Rolleston said: "He pushed the boys to her and she got them but she couldn't grab him. The sea just took him."

Police, the Trustpower TECT Rescue Helicopter and Tauranga Coastguard launched a search for Apaapa.

His body was found in Tauranga Harbour about 1 hours after the search began.

Apaapa was a strong swimmer who may have become exhausted while helping the children. But the family were still stunned that he could drown at a beach where he had been swimming all his life.

Apaapa's brother Nick said he had been collecting shellfish at the beach since he was a child. "We knew that beach like the palm of our hands," he said.

Apaapa, who had six siblings, was known for his gentleness and helpful nature, said Nick.

"He and Kahui always helped a lot of people. Even though I am the older brother he was always there for me."

Apaapa's eldest son Justin, his partner and their newborn baby - his first grandchild - also witnessed the tragedy.

His daughter Grace is travelling from Perth as the family gather for his tangi at the family marae.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty Times

'Unique challenges': Debate grows over parking in Mount Maunganui

07 Jul 08:39 PM
Bay of Plenty Times

Sea pods revitalise Tauranga waterfront with marine habitats

07 Jul 08:19 PM
Bay of Plenty Times

Truck driver back at work and walking again after surviving fatal crash

07 Jul 06:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

'Unique challenges': Debate grows over parking in Mount Maunganui

'Unique challenges': Debate grows over parking in Mount Maunganui

07 Jul 08:39 PM

Parking woes in The Mount have led the council to seek out-of-the-box solutions.

Sea pods revitalise Tauranga waterfront with marine habitats

Sea pods revitalise Tauranga waterfront with marine habitats

07 Jul 08:19 PM
Truck driver back at work and walking again after surviving fatal crash

Truck driver back at work and walking again after surviving fatal crash

07 Jul 06:00 PM
'The man I once trusted violently raped me': Man jailed for attacking ex-wife next to sleeping child

'The man I once trusted violently raped me': Man jailed for attacking ex-wife next to sleeping child

07 Jul 08:00 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP