Drowned man's previous lifejacket conviction after friend drowned too

The Coastguard has issued a warning after the second fatal boating accident off Taranaki involving the same man.

Teiron Jones was not wearing a lifejacket when he drowned after his boat capsized off Waitara on Friday.

While that's not so unusual, what is unusual is that two years ago he was found guilty of manslaughter for not providing a lifejacket to a passenger in his boat - a passenger who drowned.

In a third incident, he and his children were not wearing lifejackets when they were rescued 18 months ago.

Jones' wife, Janeth Intuna, moved to Waitara from the Philippines just three weeks ago to be with him.

It was perfectly calm on Friday when they set out on a fishing trip.

"I saw them go out but they didn't come back. I knew something strange was going on there," says his friend, Laurence Chard.

When the boat capsized the Coastguard was called in. Jones' wife was found alive wearing a lifejacket, but Jones wasn't and he drowned.

Two years ago Jones was the skipper on another fishing trip that ended tragically. Crossing the Waitara Bar, his boat capsized and his friend, Erka Xu, died.

For failing to have lifejackets on board Jones was found guilty of manslaughter and fined $5000.

In court witnesses said he'd been spotted fishing several times without a lifejacket and Jones, who said he was remorseful, argued they should be mandatory. It seems he didn't learn his own lesson.

Sources told Newshub that 18 months ago Jones and his children had to be rescued after their boat ran out of petrol off the coast at Waitara. None of them was wearing a lifejacket.

"Anyone can make a mistake but only a fool makes the same mistake twice," Mr Chard says.

Newshub has been told the boat Jones took his wife in was in poor condition and authorities had warned him not to use it.

The inflatable boat that flipped, killing Jones's friend two years ago, still sits in his yard.

It's a simple rule, but the Coastguard says just wear your lifejacket.

Newshub.