Rahui and water safety warnings after CHB coast diving tragedy

Rob Hewitt in 2019 talking about his own diving ordeal 13 years earlier. He grew-up diving on the Central Hawke's Bay Coast, where a rahui is place after a diving death this week. Photo / NZME

A rahui discouraging the taking of seafood from the sea off Central Hawke's Bay's Aramoana has been put in place as the area and stricken family recover from the latest diving tragedy.

The rahui was agreed in discussions among Department of Conservation and local iwi Ngati Kere representatives and covers the area from Paoanui Pt to the southern end of Te Angiangi Marine Reserve and remains in place for the traditional 10 days until 11am on November 1.

It follows the death of a man while diving near Shoal Bay on Tuesday evening. Police were alerted about 7.35pm after a diver had failed to resurface. A body was discovered about 40 minutes later.

Police had by late today released no further detail about what is thought to have happened or about the man.

The iwi stresses the rahui is for kai gathering only, and Water Safety New Zealand kaihautu Maori Rob Hewitt, who grew up diving on the Central Hawke's Bay coast says it is about respect for the victim and whanau, and the environment and safe practices in it.

He was unaware of the details of the death, but noted the coast has had tragedies in the past around the big resurgence of diving and other water activity about the Hawke's Bay Anniversary and Labour Day holiday weekend.

"It's not a tool to hinder – it is a tool about how to be safe," says Hewitt, a trained Navy diver who survived 72 hours adrift off the Kapiti Coast in 2006, and who is also the brother of former All Black and Magpies rugby star Norm Hewitt.

The two grew up in the Wanstead area, between Waipukurau and the coast, and went to Te Aute College.

The tragedies might not expose particular failings, but he says steps should be taken as people come out from being "locked away for the winter", such as checking gear, health and fitness, and the local knowledge of where the diving and other water activity is taking place.

Last October, a 13-year-old boy was rescued from the surf at Te Paerahi, Porangahau, where he had become out of his depth. Another teenager died while diving at Pourerere on Christmas Day the previous year, and after two men died at Pourerere in June 2016 it was reported there had been five fatalities in the immediate area in 10 years, and others on the coast.

DoC is notifying the rahui via social media and with signs in the area.