Police are still trying to work out how an Auckland man died in his car near a popular surfing spot in the South Island.

The tight-knit community of Kaikoura is mourning the loss of a man whose body was believed to have been found in a burnt-out van near a popular surf beach.

A 10-year-old girl has died after falling from the back of a ute driven by her best friend's father.

New Zealanders who risked their lives to save others have been recognised at the New Zealand Search and Rescue Awards.

Police and DOC investigations are continuing into the massacre of fur seals at Ohau Point, a popular seal viewing point 22km north of Kaikoura.