Teenager dies after rip rescue at Auckland's Karekare Beach

Tuesday, 19 May 2020

A teenager has died after being rescued from a rip at West Auckland's Karekare Beach.

The girl was rescued from the water by lifeguards.

Police said a group of four people were reported to be in trouble after getting stuck in a rip shortly after noon on Tuesday.

Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter spokesman Lincoln Davies said the teenager was airlifted to Starship Hospital in a critical condition, where she later died.

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The other three swimmers managed to make it back to the beach and were taken to Waitakere Hospital in a moderate condition, police said.

A spokesman for Karekare Surf Life Saving said four people got into trouble while swimming at the remote west coast beach.

“I arrived here just after the incident happened,” he said.

“At this time of year we don’t have any lifeguards on duty at the beach, so our team were called to come down.”

The spokesman said it was important for people to remember to swim at beaches when lifeguards were on duty and learn the conditions of the water.

Karekare beach is a large black sand surf beach, near Piha.