One dead, two rescued after boat capsizes in the Far North
Friday, 27 December 2019
A woman has died and two people have been rescued after their boat capsized in the Far North.
Police were called to the incident at Houhora Harbour's remote east beach about 11.15am on Friday.
The woman, in her 60s, died at the scene, while two other people received minor injuries.
It is the fourth water death in three days, after two other drownings in Northland on Christmas Day and one in the Coromandel on Boxing Day.
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'The woman's next of kin have been notified and the death will be referred to the coroner.
'Police's thoughts are with the woman's family at this time,' she said.
The Christmas Day drownings sparked an urgent safety plea from Surf Life Saving on Thursday.
A man died after being swept off the rocks while crab-fishing at Uretiti Beach, Waipu at about 10.10am. A second person died following a snorkelling incident in Kai Iwi Lakes near Omamari about 3pm.
A 60-year-old man also drowned at Onemana beach in the Coromandel after getting caught in a rip on Boxing Day.
Surf Life Saving's chief executive Matt Williams said the unfortunate events during the festive season should prompt the public to be aware of beach safety messages.
These include only swimming between the flags and at patrolled beaches, keeping children close, watching out for rips and always wearing a lifejacket on boats and while fishing from rocks.
Lifeguards from Surf Life Saving Northern Region also warned of the dangers of inflatable toys at beaches, after two teenage girls had to be rescued as they were swept out to sea at Auckland's Long Bay beach on Thursday.
One of the girls was so exhausted trying to get back to shore, she had to be brought in on a rescue board, while the other was brought to safety in a rescue tube.
Lifeguards also had to assist four people who were being blown out to sea on an inflatable pontoon at Omaha, north Auckland.
In total, lifeguards took over-800 preventative actions, involving 3500 people, on Boxing Day.