WELLINGTON - A Chinese man was killed Thursday in a fishing boat accident on the west of New Zealand's North Island, the New Zealand Police said.

Police has launched an investigation after two men were thrown from a small boat on the Waitara River mouth just before midday.

"The two men, one local and a Chinese national, had been out fishing earlier this morning," Senior Sergeant Thomas McIntyre said in a statement.

As they were trying to cross a sand bar, their small inflatable boat appeared to have overturned after being struck by a wave and both men were thrown into the water.

During this time the boat righted itself with the motor still running.

"The two men were about 200 meters from shore when a local surfer has seen them struggling in the water. He managed to get to the boat and use it to get the men out of the water," said McIntyre.

"The surfer has managed to get the boat and the two men to shore where paramedics have attempted to revive the Chinese man who was unconscious. Unfortunately he was unable to be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene."

The surviving man, aged in his 60s, suffered minor hypothermia and was treated by ambulance staff.

"Both men were not wearing life jackets at the time the boat overturned, and this tragedy is a stark reminder of the importance of wearing a life jacket when you are out on the water," said the police officer.

Police would release the name of the dead man when a formal identification is completed and his next of kin informed.