A holidaymaker who was diving for mussels with his family on Coromandel Peninsula has become the 20th drowning victim this year.
John Francis Kelly died at Whangapoua Beach yesterday afternoon despite the extensive efforts of firefighters and members of the public, who spent nearly three-quarters of an hour tryingto save him.
The 43-year-old Waiuku man was snorkelling near an island at the northern end of the popular surf beach, which is about half an hour north of Whitianga.
In the water with him were his son and two other teenagers. His wife and daughter were on the beach.
Senior Constable John Morrissey said Mr Kelly started making his way back to the beach about 2pm but somehow got into trouble about 50m offshore.
A member of the public went out to help but Mr Kelly, who was wearing a wetsuit and flippers, was unconscious by the time the man pulled him ashore.
Volunteer fire chief Robert Kuchlein said several members of the public performed CPR until the volunteer firefighters arrived and took over.
A doctor and ambulance arrived from Coromandel town about 25 minutes later but they were unable to revive the father of two.
He had been staying at the nearby Whangapoua Camping Ground with his family for the holidays.
Mr Kuchlein said the weather was slightly overcast at the surf beach, which is not patrolled by surf life savers.
Mr Kelly's death comes less than a week after a 7-year-old boy and his 16-year-old sister drowned while boogie-boarding at Browns Bay.
In the past three weeks 20 people have died from water-related accidents, more than the national road toll for the same period.
Last year 104 people drowned.
Water Safety NZ executive director Alan Muir said it was difficult at this stage to say what had happened to Mr Kelly. He may have had a medical problem like a heart attack, become tired swimming back to shore or cramped up.
Mr Muir said the drowning, the first at Whangapoua in at least 10 years, was yet another reminder about the need for care and safety around the water.
People who went diving or snorkelling should always do so with a buddy and, if possible, have someone watching from the shoreline, he said.
They should also have a medical check to ensure they are in good shape before entering the water.
