A man has died at Lake Tikitapu/Blue Lake in Rotorua. Photo / NZME
A man has died at Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake) near Rotorua, in a second water death for the Bay of Plenty this weekend.
Police were called about 10.30pm on Friday to a report of a man who had not returned from a swim.
The man’s body was located shortly after 1am on Saturday, police said today.
“Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”
The man’s death has been referred to the coroner.
A police spokesperson would not say if he was a local or a visitor.
On Saturday, Rotorua Police area commander Inspector Herby Ngawhika joined kaumātua from Tūhourangi iwi at Lake Tikitapu for karakia to observe tikanga in lifting the tapu off the lake and restoring the wairua of the area.
In a post on Facebook this morning, the Tuhourangi Tribal Authority passed on its condolences to the man’s family.
“We organised for Te Mauri Kingi and Te Maiora Rurehe to conduct karakia,” the post said.
“E rere ana ngā mihi aroha ki te whānau pani, our condolences are with the family.”
The authority advised people to be “vigilant and keep safe”.
Kelsi Hira, the owner of Blue Lake TOP 10 Holiday Park, offered her condolences to the man’s family and friends.
She declined to comment further on the tragedy to the Rotorua Daily Post.
The holiday park is across the road from the lake, which sits about 10km southeast of central Rotorua and is a popular swimming spot for locals and visitors.
The man’s death comes after a spate of water tragedies on Saturday afternoon around New Zealand, amid a slew of heat warnings.
In the Bay of Plenty, a person was pulled from the water off Poripori Rd in the Lower Kaimai Range.
Police said emergency services including a helicopter, the fire brigade, ambulance and police were called to the location about 2.55pm.
“CPR was commenced, however they sadly died at the scene. The death will be referred to the coroner.”
The other death happened at a popular Canterbury tourist spot.
Police were notified about 1.15pm that a person had been pulled from the water by the harbourmaster at Akaroa on Banks Peninsula.
The person could not be revived.
A man remains missing after getting into trouble in the Waikato River.
Police were called to the river near Graham Island, in Hamilton, about 3.30pm after a report of a struggling swimmer being swept downstream.
Police named the missing man as Teananga Tiotia, 25, of Hamilton.
The search for Tiotia continued on Monday, with enquiries ongoing and police supporting his family.
The Waikato Times reported that his family believed he had been pulled under by a whirlpool while swimming with friends.
Water incidents in Mahurangi East, north of Auckland, and Tasman District also left people in hospital on Saturday.
The incidents came amid a slew of heat warnings over the weekend, with temperatures hitting the 30s in some regions.
Water Safety New Zealand chief executive, Glen Scanlon, urged people to keep in mind the key messages around water safety at this busy time.
“What we tend to see is so often those hot, calm days when people find themselves unexpectedly in more trouble because the conditions look so good,” Scanlon said.
He advised Kiwis to never swim or dive alone in any of New Zealand’s water environments.
“If you’re at a patrolled beach, please swim between the flags. Take advantage of the great surf lifesavers and the job they do to keep you safe.
“Please, if you’re fishing from land or from a boat as well, wear a lifejacket. It’s going to keep you really super safe.
“If you’ve got your kids, always stay close to them,” Scanlon said.