A 31-year-old Thai man drowned after slipping from the rocks while fishing yesterday at Mount Maunganui's Moturiki (Leisure) Island.
He was Tanet Phoukdonkeng of Tauranga.
Police, the Tranz Rail rescue helicopter, Mount Maunganui Surf Lifesaving Club volunteers and Tauranga Coastguard combed the sea and shoreline for more than two hours after Mr Phoukdonkeng's brother raised the alarm about 12.40 pm.
It appeared the man - who had been in New Zealand for about six months on a visitor's permit - had been fishing from a rocky outcrop near a blow-hole, when he slipped into the water, Senior Sergeant Duncan MacLeod said.
Mr Phoukdonkeng's brother had thrown him a line, but the swell had carried the fisherman out of reach.
"At 2.30 pm divers were called in and at approximately 2.45 pm the man's body was located just off the end of the island," Mr MacLeod said.
Police have also released the name of a Tauranga man killed last night when he crashed his motorcycle in the city.
28-year-old Shane Calvert Edgar was killed instantly when he failed to take a right hand sweeping bend and hit an advertising hoarding about 10.45 pm.
- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES
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