NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Northland's Kai Iwi Lakes drowning victim is a 4-year-old

Imran Ali
By Imran Ali
Multimedia Journalist·Northern Advocate·
4 Jan, 2022 05:15 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

NZ's drowning numbers are amongst the worst in the world so what can we do to stay safe in the water? Video / NZ Herald

A four-year-old has become Northland's first drowning victim this year and water safety experts are reiterating calls for holidaymakers to be vigilant in the water as temperatures continue to soar.

The child drowned at the popular Kai Iwi Lakes shortly after 2.10pm Tuesday despite the best efforts of emergency services and members of the public that performed CPR.

The death will be referred to the Coroner.

A rescue helicopter was dispatched and so were firefighters from Dargaville, St John paramedics and police, and a child was located unresponsive.

It was the third drowning in New Zealand on the same day.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

A man died while swimming in the Waingaro River, west of Ngāruawāhia, and another person passed away in what is understood to be a scuba diving accident at Waiwera Beach.

Dargaville deputy fire chief Jason Campbell said two appliances from the town attended the callout but his firefighters did very little as police and St John paramedics attended to the child.

The popular Kai Iwi Lakes where an 11-year-old drowned on a stunning day.
Photo / Supplied
The popular Kai Iwi Lakes where an 11-year-old drowned on a stunning day. Photo / Supplied

A helicopter was also at the scene.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He said it was a stunning day and a lot of holidaymakers were enjoying the lakes.

Kaipara District Council, which runs the lakes, briefed the local iwi late Tuesday.

Water Safety New Zealand chief executive Daniel Gerrard described the spate of drownings around the country this festive season as a "national disaster" and called on everyone to be vigilant while in the water.

"There's no single message we can convey. It's an absolute tragedy for everyone and my heart goes out to those affected. We do need to work out some messages around water safety.

Discover more

New Zealand

Death of much-loved Mangonui woman due to health condition, not seawall fall - Coroner

12 Dec 11:53 PM
New Zealand

Northland freediver dies in Far North from suspected drowning

25 Aug 10:06 PM
New Zealand

Omaha tragedy: Haka planned at funeral to farewell teen

04 Jan 06:16 AM
New Zealand

Summer of drownings: 'Unprecedented' deaths with weeks of heat to come

04 Jan 04:00 PM

"We live in an island nation with beautiful oceans, rivers, and lakes that we should be out there enjoying. It's only going to get hotter and people should watch out for everyone and little ones need to be at arm's length.

"You cannot overestimate your ability and underestimate the currents and everyone needs to stop and think about that," Gerrard said.

He didn't think the school curriculum in Northland was strong enough to ensure adequate work was done around water safety, particularly in term 4 when schools did water safety skills education and training.

Police have confirmed the first drowning case in Northland this year - a child at Kai Iwi Lakes.
Photo / NZME
Police have confirmed the first drowning case in Northland this year - a child at Kai Iwi Lakes. Photo / NZME

He said the months-long lockdowns for Auckland, Northland and Waikato may have encouraged people to try things they hadn't done before, overestimate their fitness, or delay the servicing of equipment.

Kaipara mayor Jason Smith expressed his condolences to the child's family and reminded everyone of the care needed while in the water.

"These places can look beautiful but they can be very deceptive and there's a fine line between being okay and being in trouble. Sadly, people don't know where that fine line is until tragedy happens," he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Northland's drowning toll last year was eight.

Earlier versions of this story said the boy who died at Kai Iwi Lakes was 11. This was incorrect.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

Entertainment

Kiwi singer known for hit song Haere Mai (Everything is Kapai) dies

New Zealand

'Everyone could have died': Drink-driving mum who left 6yo critical in crash avoids prison

New Zealand

Girl who died in Fiordland drowning missed 'every moment, every day'


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Kiwi singer known for hit song Haere Mai (Everything is Kapai) dies
Entertainment

Kiwi singer known for hit song Haere Mai (Everything is Kapai) dies

Daphne Walker was described as one of New Zealand’s first singing stars.

17 Jul 07:11 AM
'Everyone could have died': Drink-driving mum who left 6yo critical in crash avoids prison
New Zealand

'Everyone could have died': Drink-driving mum who left 6yo critical in crash avoids prison

17 Jul 07:00 AM
Girl who died in Fiordland drowning missed 'every moment, every day'
New Zealand

Girl who died in Fiordland drowning missed 'every moment, every day'

17 Jul 06:25 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP