15 Dec 2013

Man drowns after swimming from stranded boat

11:17 am on 15 December 2013

Police are trying to locate the family of a man who drowned on a fishing trip at a bay south of Auckland.

They say the 54-year-old was in a small fishing boat with several other people on Kawakawa Bay on Saturday morning when it hit rough seas and turned back to land.

The boat ran out of petrol about 70 metres from the boat ramp and one of the men on board tried to swim for shore but got into difficulty, despite wearing a life jacket.

Police say by the time members of the public got to him he had already died.

They say they are working to confirm his identity and advise his family and his name was expected to be released on Sunday.