VICTIM: Russell Brown.

• Howick and Botany Times

THE family of a fisherman killed in a tragic boating accident last week says he died doing what he loved – being on the water with a few of his mates.

Russell Lesley John Brown, known as “Brownie”, was out fishing when his 10m Sunseeker boat hit a rock near Rakino Island.

The vessel was limping back to Auckland, but when it reached Islington Bay at Rangitoto Island the crew tried to stop the boat from sinking.

While checking for damage, Mr Brown’s clothing became entangled in the spinning driveshaft.

Partner Flo Stanford.

The other two men on-board tried to save him but Auckland Police’s maritime unit arrived to find that he had died.

Mr Brown’s stepson Antonio Stanford says the family was told Mr Brown, of Flat Bush, was trying to do his best to prevent the vessel from going under last Tuesday night.

“He tried to fix the boat or get the pump working or something,” Mr Stanford told the Times.

Mr Brown, a 68-year-old taxi driver, always took home buckets of fish for the family from fishing outings and he liked helping others.

Mr Stanford says he loved tucking into a dinner of fresh snapper.

“Sometimes I went fishing with him and I used to drive the boat. He took my niece out all the time.”

<!--page-->Mr Brown became part of the family about 20 years ago when Mr Stanford’s niece, Danielle Hitchens, was about two years old.

"Sometimes I went fishing with him. He took my niece out all the time." - Antonio Stanford

His partner Flo Stanford says Mr Brown regarded Danielle as his own grand-daughter.

“He took Danielle to her hockey and netball and was proud when she won trophies,” says Ms Stanford. “He took her to Marsden where he had a boat and just loved taking her out on the ocean.”

Working as an owner-operator taxi driver on an airport run gave Mr Brown the freedom to be at sea when the fish were biting, day or night.

Watching the cricket or rugby on television was also a favourite pastime for this good Kiwi guy.

As a well-known and colourful member of Otahuhu Workingmen’s and Cosmopolitan Club for 24 years, Mr Brown served on its executive committee during that time.

Auckland Police maritime unit officer John Saunders says Mr Brown’s boat has been inspected by Maritime New Zealand.