A teenage boy has drowned while swimming with friends at Kai Iwi Lakes near Dargaville.
Police say Vaughan Hoyle, 17, was swimming at Lake Taharoa about 6.30pm on Wednesday with three other boys.
The trio decided to swim to the other side of the lake while Mr Hoyle stayed in shallow water.
When they returned a short time later they found him lying four metres beneath the surface.
They tried CPR but Mr Hoyle died at the scene.
