Surf Life Saving New Zealand is urging people to take extra care in the water as summer approaches, following a major rescue operation at a dangerous beach west of Auckland that has left one person missing.
Five people got into trouble in the water at Karioitahi Beach on Saturday evening.
Emergency services were alerted at around 6.30pm, prompting a search and rescue operation.
Four of the five people were rescued, including one who was initially in a critical condition but has since been reported as stable.
A fifth person remained missing, with search teams continuing their efforts along the rugged west coast.
Surf Life Saving search and rescue teams had been working through the night and returned to the beach on Sunday morning.
Samantha Larson, a search and rescue support coordinator at Karioitahi Beach, told 1News the teams were doing everything they could.
"They've been out last night on the beach, out this morning and going for another tasking shortly," she said.
Larson said conditions on Saturday evening had made swimming particularly difficult.
"There was pretty difficult conditions at low tide," she said.
"There's a lot of water going through and people move quite quickly out there."
She said the beach was known for its aggressive conditions, with rips and holes that could be difficult for inexperienced swimmers to identify.
"It's a really dangerous part of the west coast," she said.
"Out here with such a large coastline to deal with, it varies from spot to spot."
With warmer weather approaching, Surf Life Saving New Zealand is reminding beachgoers to swim between the flags and only enter the water when lifeguards are on duty.
Larson said even on a day with relatively favourable conditions, hazards could be lurking just metres from designated swimming areas.
"Our flags right now [are] just behind me. [We've] got a hole placed off to the left-hand side and a rip just further to the right," she said.
She stressed the importance of staying within the flagged swimming area.
Larson also urged people to check patrol times before heading to the beach and to stay out of the water if they were unsure about the conditions.
"If they're not there, don't go in," she said.
"If in doubt, stay out of the water."
She said anyone who spotted a person in difficulty should call 111 and ask for police, who could coordinate an emergency response.
A rāhui has been placed on the stretch of Karioitahi Beach north of the car park for seven days as the search for the missing person continues.
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