News

SLSNZ Acknowledges Fatality at Piha, Auckland

Wednesday, 27 April 2022

On the morning of the 25th of April 2022, Surf Life Saving’s operations centre SurfCom received a notification from Police of someone in trouble in the water at Piha. SurfCom tasked the local Piha and United Search and Rescue squads to respond. 

Two lifeguards launched an IRB to pick up the man. They brought him back to the beach, meeting more lifeguards who started CPR in the boat while it was hooked up to the ATV and brought back to the club. Lifeguards continued to provide CPR and carried out further efforts to resuscitate the man using a defibrillator until the Westpac Rescue Helicopter arrived and the paramedics took over.   

Sadly, the man could not be resuscitated. Surf Life Saving New Zealand would like to offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the person who died. We would also like to thank the Lifeguards, Duty Officer, Peer Supporters, and Westpac Rescue Helicopter crew who were involved in the incident.