Two men who drowned rock fishing weren't wearing life jackets, coroner says

A Coroner says the deaths of two fishermen in Northland highlight the importance of wearing lifejackets while rock fishing - as well as the need for warning signs and flotation aids in dangerous areas.

Sarath Kumar Sasidharan-Nair, 37, and Ferzil Babu, 34, drowned when they were swept off rocks at The Gap, a fishing spot at Taiharuru, east of Whangārei, two years ago.

Sasidharan-Nair's body was found in the water two days later, while Babu's remains were only found late last year when they washed up on Coppermine Island in Bream Bay.

According to a report released on Monday by Coroner Janet Anderson, the friends travelled together to Taiharuru on the afternoon of 1 May 2024.

Other friends arrived at the same fishing spot later that afternoon but did not recognise Sasidharan-Nair's vehicle. They assumed the pair had decided not to go fishing because the water was so rough and went home.

The men's wives raised the alarm when they failed to return and did not answer their phones.

Police found some of the men's property on the beach that evening and started a large scale search the next day.

Coroner Anderson ruled that both men had died by accidental drowning and noted that neither owned a lifejacket.

According to evidence provided by Surf Lifesaving New Zealand (SLNZ), 16 people - all men - had died while fishing from land in Northland between 2011 and 2024.

SLNZ said rock fishing could be "rewarding and exhilarating" but required careful preparation and a strong focus on safety.

The chief risks were large waves overtopping rocky platforms, knocking fishers off their feet and sweeping them into the water; and slippery rocks near the water's edge, where fishers could easily fall while retrieving a catch or a snagged line.

Coroner Anderson said the men's tragic deaths again illustrated the need to war life jackets and have access to flotation devices while rock fishing.

Ferzil Babu, 34 (left) and Sarath Sasidharan-Nair, 37 were fishing went they went missing in Northland. Photo: Supplied / Givealittle

In November 2025 she called on the Whangārei District Council to install warning signs and flotation aids at The Gap.

The council told her it had done so, working with hapū to get the right wording, but the sign had since been removed by an unknown person.

Coroner Anderson urged the council to urgently reinstate signage so people would be aware of the danger.

Responding to the report, Water Safety New Zealand chief executive Glen Scanlon said a lifejacket could be the difference between life and death while rock fishing.

"The very harsh reality shown by so many drownings is that we need to help each other make decisions which help us enjoy the water and get home safe. Rock fishers need to wear lifejackets and never underestimate the conditions."

Scanlon said 237 people had drowned while fishing from land in New Zealand since 1980. Of those, 150 occurred while fishing from rocks.

A spokeswoman for the Whangārei District Council said the missing sign was being reinstated, and contractors would monitor it to make sure it remained in place.

The council was working with Surf Lifesaving New Zealand on installing floatation devices and additional safety signs at the site, she said.

Sasidharan-Nair was a registered nurse who had just started a new job in the emergency department at Whangārei Hospital.

Babu's wife also worked at the hospital while he was seeking work and looking after their young son.

Coroner Anderson included SLNZ's "five ways to survive" tips for rock fishing in her report. They are:

• Know how to float: Only go fishing from rocks if you know how to float well. Always wear a lifejacket and take a flotation device, like a life ring or a bucket, with you. Lifejackets will increase your chance of survival if you fall in.
• Find the safest place: Check conditions: tide, swell, weather, and local hazards. Always face the ocean and be alert for large waves which can knock you off the rocks.
• If in doubt, stay out: If the weather or conditions look dangerous don't go fishing - wait for another day.
• Take care of yourself and others: Always fish together. If something happens, the other person can help. Wear light, warm clothing, a lifejacket and shoes with grip (not gumboots).
• Know how to get help: Always take a mobile phone; in an emergency call 111 and ask for police.