Young boy pulled from water near Raglan dies

File Photo.

A young boy located after going missing in the surf in Raglan has died.

Police confirmed the seven-year-old's death at 5.40pm.

Witnesses at scene describe the boy being bought ashore on a jetski at about 5pm.

Paramedics at the scene performed CPR but were unsuccessful, says Sergeant Vince Ranger.

The child's family are on the beach and speaking with police. A young girl with them has been lead away my an ambulance officer.

Lifeguards who were helping in the search have now come out of the water and huddled further up the beach.

The police were called to what locals call Ocean Beach around 3.30pm on Thursday.

Earlier a witness described seeing a helicopter flying above, two ambulances and lots of police searching the area.

Anxious beachgoers were gathered at the scene waiting for news.

They say the tide was going out fast and it was very windy at the scene. There was a large drop-off about a metre into the water.

One beachgoer says she'd heard that the parents were watching the child, turned their backs for a moment, and then when they looked back the child was gone.

According to Metservice, Raglan Bar's high tide was at 1.47pm.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand northern region chief executive Matt Williams couldn't offer any details about the rescue.

However, the incident was "a prompt for people to be aware of the conditions and always keep your kids within arms reach".

"Whatever the outcome, this is a terrible, terrible tragedy. These are not the type of memories you want to take from a beautiful beach like Raglan."

-Stuff

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