A New Zealand tourist has drowned in the Black Sea, in a coastal town in south-east Romania.

According to local media 44 year old Gregory John Heffernan arrived in the resort town of Vama Veche on September 2nd, with an American woman.

Mr Heffernan checked into a hostel and headed directly to the beach.

Lifeguards reportedly saw him a short distance from the shore and tried to get his attention to return to the beach, but he had drowned by the time they removed him from the water.

It took authorities 24 hours to identify him, after canvassing hotels in the town.

Mr Heffernan had family in Canterbury and also Abu Dhabi.