A 13-year-old girl has died in the Catlins in South Otago after the boat she was in capsized.
The teenager was boating with her 48-year-old father and a 13-year-old boy at Surat Bay near Owaka on Wednesday afternoon.
Police say there was a mechanical malfunction with the boat's engine which caused it to fail 300 metres offshore. The boat became swamped and capsized soon after.
The alarm was raised about 1.30pm and emergency services from Balclutha and Owaka, and the Dunedin-based rescue helicopter, were sent.
The man and boy made it ashore together, while the girl was found on shore about 30 minutes later. Attempts to revive her were unsuccessful.
Police say although it was a fine day, sea conditions were rough. Senior Sergeant Kelvin Lloyd told Radio New Zealand's Checkpoint programme the boat's engine failed and it became swamped before capsizing.
"The motor appears to have cut out and that's when the conditions have overcome the boat. The conditions were described by the locals as being rough and certainly there would've been choppy conditions, given the wind."
Mr Lloyd says all three were wearing lifejackets.
