Local iwi have placed a rāhui over Goat Island after a man died at the popular beach north of Auckland on Wednesday morning.
Police said the man was found unresponsive on the beach at about 11:40am before being declared dead a short time later. The victim was a 69-year-old US tourist, RNZ reported.
A rāhui was now in place for three days. It extended from Cape Rodney to Okakari Point, the Department of Conservation (DoC) said.
"With the support of the Department of Conservation, a rāhui has been placed over the Cape Rodney-Okakari Point (Goat Island) Marine Reserve from 7pm on Wednesday, December 28 and will be lifted at 7pm on Saturday, December 31, 2022," DoC said in a statement.
"A rāhui (physical and spiritual protection mechanism) sets a temporary prohibition around the rāhui area and limits access for that period in order to acknowledge the death and to express our sympathy to the whānau of the deceased.
"To show respect, people are asked to use alternative areas during the rāhui. This includes swimmers, surfers, divers, boat users, and those using other watercraft including kayaks and stand-up paddleboards."
The victim's death would be referred to the coroner.
