Police name two men who died in Tangimoana boat capsize
Friday 16 October 2026 · 3 outlets · 3 reports · updated 
Ming Xiu, 70, and Chung-Hsuae Lee, 75, have been identified as the Palmerston North men who died after their boat overturned near the Rangitīkei River mouth on 14 September. A third person on the vessel survived the incident. Police are continuing to investigate the capsize at Tangimoana Beach.
Key facts
4 facts
- Ming Xiu, 70, and Chung-Hsuae Lee, 75, died in a boat capsize on September 14.
- The boat capsize occurred near the Rangitīkei River mouth at Tangimoana Beach.
- Ryder Hayden Coley-Clark, aged 7, drowned at Tangimoana Beach last Friday.
- A third man survived the boat capsize and was taken to hospital with moderate injuries.
The full story
1 min read · 3 outlets
Police have named Ming Xiu, 70, and Chung-Hsuae Lee, 75, who died after their boat capsized at Tangimoana Beach on September 14. Both men were from Palmerston North. The incident occurred near the mouth of the Rangitīkei River.
A third man, identified as the skipper, survived the incident and was taken to hospital with moderate injuries. This survivor reached the beach and was transported for medical care. All three men were wearing life jackets during the incident.
The deaths occurred less than a month before seven-year-old Ryder Hayden Coley-Clark drowned at the same location. Coley-Clark, from Whanganui, was swept out to sea last Friday. A second person was with the boy when he was swept out, but that person returned to shore unharmed.
Local resident Russ Hunter, who assisted in rescue efforts, stated that all three fishermen were wearing life jackets. He expressed a need for better on-site rescue equipment, such as jet skis.
Where reports differ
- One report identifies the survivor of the boat capsize as the skipper, while another refers to him as a third man.
Compiled from reports by Stuff, The Post and NZ Herald.
