Swimmer dies after getting into difficulty in the water near Goat Island

Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter at Goat Island during a water rescue today. Photo / Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust

A man in his sixties has died after a water rescue at Goat Island.

Police were called to the scene at 3.55pm after a person had been reported as getting into difficulty while swimming close to the beach.

Two other men went into the water to help him but the swimmer died at the scene.

The Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched but the man's body was not transported, a spokesman confirmed.

Emergency services, including police and Fire and Emergency, were called to the scene shortly before 4pm, a police spokeswoman said. Photo / Google

The owner of local business The Octopus Hideaway told the Herald that conditions at the marine reserve had not been good for several days.

He had cancelled today's commercial snorkel trips for safety.

Goat Island Dive and Snorkel warned customers on social media this morning to be safe amid expected "large waves and strong currents".

The incident is the second death at a Rodney beach today.

A person drowned at nearby Pakiri Beach.

Police said they were called to reports of four people in trouble in the water there about 1.30pm.

They were pulled from the water near the Pakiri Beach Holiday Park on Pakiri River Rd but one died at the scene.

A St John Ambulance spokesman said one of the people, a man, was flown to North Shore Hospital in a moderate condition via rescue helicopter.

He said two children were treated by ambulance staff at the scene and did not require transfer to hospital.
It's unclear why the group needed rescuing.

A worker at the holiday park, which borders remote Pakiri Beach, north of Omaha, did not want to comment.

A social media post says a rahui has been put in place for three days. It started at 3pm today and will continue until 3pm Tuesday, the post says.