Son watches father drown at Far North beach

An 11-year-old Auckland boy watched his father drown at a Far North beach yesterday as he tried to retrieve the boy's boogey board.

Ieremia Galubao, 40, from Pakuranga, south of Auckland, was swimming with his son during a family holiday at the southern end of Ninety Mile Beach on the west coast of the Far North.

When his son lost his boogey board, Mr Galubao went after it but was hit by waves and separated from the board.

He waved for help as he was being swept out. Mr Galubao's son yelled for help and two teenager kayakers went to his aid but he was swept out by a rip before they could get to him.

He was found a few minutes later but frantic efforts by an off-duty Hamilton policeman and surf lifesavers for 20 minutes failed to revive him.

"They have gone out to try and help him. A set (waves) has come through and hit him. He lost the board and they didn't see him again," Constable Dion Masters, of Kaitaia police, said.

The teenagers came back to shore but spotted his body being swept ashore a few minutes later.

The dead man's son was deeply traumatised by the tragedy, Mr Masters said.

Surf lifeguards said it had been a busy two or three days nationwide, with several major rescues.

Yesterday morning lifeguards at Muriwai Beach on Auckland's west coast recovered a man's body, believed to be that of the missing Philipino fisherman swept off Flat Rock at Piha on January 3.

Yesterday lifeguards at Orewa beach revived a beachgoer who had had a suspected heart attack and stopped breathing. Lifeguards performed CPR and used a defibrillator to restart the man's heart and resuscitate him before he was taken to hospital.

On Thursday, a female body boarder was taken to hospital after swallowing a large amount of water after being caught in a rip at Waimarama Beach in Hawke's Bay.

She was brought ashore by lifeguards in an inflatable rescue boat, , given oxygen and airlifted to hospital.

Also on Thursday, off-duty lifeguards and the New Zealand champion Titahi Bay surf boat crew were training at Wellington's Titahi Bay when they rescued two kayakers who were being pushed off shore after the weather suddenly worsened and the wind speed rose from five to 35 knots.

Already this summer, lifeguards had performed 442 rescues, 647 first aids and conducted 142 searches, said Surf Lifesaving New Zealand.

- NZPA