Japanese man drowns after being swept out to sea

A 20-year-old Japanese man who drowned at Himatangi Beach north of Foxton yesterday was not swimming between the flags, police say.

Police were called to the northern Manawatu beach about 1.25pm to help try to rescue the man who was swept out to sea, Constable Glenn Ryan of Foxton police said.

The man and friends had been swimming where the Himatangi stream entered the surf -- outside the flagged area monitored by volunteer surf lifeguards, he said in a statement.

Lifeguards searched until the man was found by a member of the public submerged inside the flagged area.

He was pulled ashore where CPR was carried out unsuccessfully for 30 minutes.

Mr Ryan praised the person who located the Japanese man.

"His actions alone were enough to provide the victim with every possible chance of surviving."

The victim's name has not been released.

- NZPA