Auckland, March 22 NZPA - A three-year-old girl might be alive today had she been more closely supervised and had the local council followed the rules, a coroner says.

Vimbai Machakaire was found drowned in a neighbour's swimming pool in west Auckland in November 2008.

She had earlier been reported missing and a large police search had begun.

An inquest was in Auckland in September last year.

Coroner Murray Jamieson, said in his findings the safety of small children near swimming pools depended on closer supervision by responsible older persons, the maintenance of pool fencing and gates, and the rigorous application by local authorities of compliance requirements.

He found neither of the child's parents was actively supervising the toddler for a considerable time; the pool gate was hard to open and close and the fence was not compliant; and human error in the Waitakere City Council led to the pool inspection being overlooked.

He said the death of Vimbai was "preceded by failures of those responsible" for the three issues.

"Had those failures not occurred she may well have been alive today."

He found the child drowned in the pool.