Wellington, Jan 19 NZPA - A man drowned when he was caught by a submerged log and pulled under the Rangitikei River near Bulls today.

Police central communications spokeswoman Kim Perks said the tragedy happened about 3.25pm when the 19-year-old Bulls man went into the river with a small rubber tube to float down on the current.

"It appears that he got caught on a submerged log and was pulled under," she said.

Two female friends and an 11-year-old girl were in the river with him.

"They went to help him along with another group of people who were by the river," Ms Perks said.

"Although they managed to free him from the log, attempts to revive him were unsuccessful."

Police, Fire Service and St John Ambulance staff attended tried to save the man with CPR.

Ms Perks said the man would not be named until all next of kin had been informed and the death had been referred to the coroner.

She said police wanted to take the opportunity to remind people to be extra careful around rivers.

"Today's tragedy happened just five to six metres from shore and demonstrates the hidden dangers that can lie under the surface."

On Sunday an American woman died after becoming pinned under a rock during a family rafting trip on the Mohaka River in Hawke's Bay.

Carolyn Lackey, a 59-year-old Kentucky woman, was rafting with her husband, son and daughter-in-law when they all fell out of the raft at a section of the river known as the Te Hoe drop-off about 3pm, police said.

While the three other family members were carried downstream and managed to scramble ashore, Ms Lackey became pinned under a rock and was believed to have drowned.

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