Surf conditions at the Mount Maunganui beach where a man evading police died were challenging with a “very strong” rip, a resident says.
The Ōmanu local said he believed it would have been a “terrifying experience” for the victim, describing the incident as a “tragedy”.
Police said in a statement this afternoon a 37-year-old man died after running “into the sea in an effort to avoid arrest”.
Police were called to an alleged burglary at a building site on Surf Rd about 3.40am on Monday.
Police blocked a vehicle from exiting the site as they arrived.
A 32-year-old man was arrested there and police pursued two other men, who fled on foot.
A 53-year-old was arrested after an alleged altercation with police but an officer did not chase the man who ran into the sea “for their own safety”.
A prior statement said police then “lost sight of him”.
Police searched the shoreline and a body was found a short distance up Ōmanu Beach at about 5am.
“Despite efforts from police, Fenz [Fire and Emergency New Zealand] and ambulance crews, the man was unable to be revived,” this afternoon’s statement said.
The entry to Surf Rd was closed while police investigated at the scene but was reopened shortly after 10am.
Monohomes company director Nathan Mouldey confirmed to the Bay of Plenty Times the allegedly burgled building site was a beach house for a family the company was erecting.
“It’s tragic that there’s been such a sad ending to the event that unfolded [overnight]. Our thoughts go out to the deceased’s family members and his friends”.
Surf Rd homeowner Matthew Semple told the Bay of Plenty Times he was woken around 3.50am by a woman yelling from the direction of the street.
From a window, he saw an SUV in front of the Monohomes building site with police cars in front and behind it.
He said he watched a police officer direct a handcuffed man into a police vehicle and went back to bed.
About 6.20am when he looked out towards the beach, he saw what appeared to be a body underneath a white sheet, he said.
He estimated this was about 150m to 200m north of the Ōmanu Surf Club, which is at the end of Surf Rd.
Semple said he saw a police photographer taking images of footprints on the beach heading towards the surf, as several other police worked at the scene and around the building site.
“There was lots of police attention focused on the beach.”
Semple said he saw the deceased’s body being taken away by a funeral director.
He said he went for a swim, returning between 7am and 7.30am.
The surf conditions were challenging with a “very strong” rip current running right to left along the beach towards Mount Maunganui, and going out to sea, Semple said.
“I felt it pulling at me strongly in that direction during my swim.”
He believed the man could have been caught in the rip and pulled under.
“It must have been a terrifying experience for this man to be caught in the rip alone in the dark and pulled under the water.
“It’s a tragedy for this person and for their family and friends.”
Police have said a post-mortem would be carried out on the deceased and the results referred to the Coroner.
Police were supporting the man’s whānau.
The 53-year-old man arrested was charged with burglary by night and assaulting police, and the 32-year-old with burglary and driving while disqualified.
Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.