Water tragedy: Person dead after incident in Whananaki, Northland

Police will make enquiries in relation to the death on behalf of the Coroner.

New Zealand's terrible summer in the water has continued, with a person dying in a water incident in Northland.

Emergency services were advised at 5.40pm that a person had been located unresponsive in water in Whananaki, Northland.

A police spokeswoman said the incident occurred on North Rd.

A spokeswoman for St John said a helicopter and ambulance attended the scene but the person was found unable to be revived.

Police will make inquiries in relation to the death on behalf of the Coroner.

It is the 31st death in the water this summer.

It follows another water-related incident this afternoon. A person was found unresponsive in the water at Mount Maunganui today.

A police spokeswoman says they were alerted to that incident at 3.10pm and the person was in a critical condition.

St John said two vehicles attended and the person was taken to Tauranga Hospital.

Fourteen people have lost their lives in preventable drownings this holiday period.

The unprecedented toll, occurring between 4am Christmas Eve and 6am January 5 represents a 180 per cent increase on the five-year average.