Drowned student arrived in NZ only a few days ago

A Chinese exchange student has drowned at Sumner Beach only days after arriving in New Zealand.

A search failed to find the 19-year-old on Saturday night. His body was discovered by a member of the public on Scarborough Beach early yesterday.

The student was swimming with his host family at Sumner Beach about 6pm on Saturday when he disappeared.

Police said the youth went back into the water alone and the family lost sight of him.

Searches failed to find him and police were alerted about an hour and a half later at 7.40pm.

A large operation was mounted with Coastguard's Sumner Lifeboat, police, volunteers and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter combing the sea and shoreline into the night.

Sumner Lifeboat coxswain Paul Lawson said all the coastguard's "inshore assets" – a jet boat, inflatable rubber boat and a jet ski – were activated.

The time taken to alert authorities decreased the student's chance of survival, he said.

"It depends on what type of swimmer the guy is. It's very difficult to last that period of time on a surf beach.

"The biggest problem [for the searchers] was probably the lateness – running out of light."

It was suspected the student, whose name has not yet been released, was caught in a rip that took him out past the breakwater.

Lawson said there were two rips on the beach.

Acting Sergeant Chris Clent, of the Christchurch South police, said the host family were "quite distressed".

The student's family in China were being notified with the help of the Chinese embassy.

Detective Sergeant Ross Tarawhiti said the youth had been in the country only "a matter of days".

"A lot of people who come aren't familiar with New Zealand water conditions – how it can change."

Tarawhiti said it was the second water death he investigated at the weekend.

A body was discovered by a security guard in a slipway at Lyttelton yesterday morning.

The body looked to have been in the water for some days, Tarawhiti said.

"We're having difficulty confirming his identity, but hopefully in the next couple of days that will be worked on."

Police had an idea of who the man was, but it had not yet been confirmed, Tarawhiti said.

An autopsy had been carried out on the body and the death was not being treated as suspicious. Both deaths have been referred to the coroner.

- © Fairfax NZ News