A man drowned last year after attempting to rescue his son from a swimming hole near Gisborne, a coroner's inquest has found.
A Korean national who lived in Tauranga, Myungsoo Shin, had rushed to save his nine-year old son who could not swim, after he went down a natural rockslide.
He became submerged in a deep part of the water after he reached his son.
A friend who was with them jumped in and managed to rescue the boy but could not find Mr Shin.
A police drive team later found Mr Shin's body at the bottom of the pool.