Child flown to Starship Hospital after near drowning on Kawau Island, Auckland

A child has been flown to Starship Children's Hospital after a near drowning on a Hauraki Gulf island this afternoon.

The alarm was raised at 1.24pm and is understood to have involved a swimming pool or inflatable pool on Kawau Island, a St John ambulance spokeswoman said.

She did not know the child's age or gender, but said they had moderate injuries.

"They were flown to Starship Hospital by rescue helicopter."

Four people have drowned this holiday season, which began on Christmas Eve and ends on January 3.

Two died in Northland on Christmas Day - a male crabber at Uretiti Beach and a snorkeller at Kai Iwi Lakes.

Hamilton man Perry Meehan, 60, died on Boxing Day when he got into trouble while swimming at Onemana Beach, north of Whangamatā.

The fourth person to die was a woman aged in her 60s, who became trapped under an overturned boat near Houhora in the Far North. Two others in the boat escaped with minor injuries.

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• Water Safety New Zealand chief urges people to stop and think before entering the water

Meanwhile, 1-year-old Te Ariki Lee died in Christchurch Hospital on Christmas Eve after his life support was switched off.

He had been found by his mum "drowned in her garden" two days earlier, a Givealittle page fundraising for his funeral costs said.