Two boaters and a diver were rescued from rough waters off Wellington’s south coast after strong winds and high waves left them stranded at sea, prompting a coordinated emergency response from police and rescue services.
Police said the group should “consider themselves lucky” that the incident did not end in tragedy, 1News has reported.
The Wellington Police Maritime Unit received a 111 emergency call around 4 pm on March 5 from two people aboard a 5.4-metre runabout on Wellington’s south coast. The boaters reported that they were struggling with severe weather conditions, including gale-force winds reaching up to 88km/h and increasingly rough seas, as reported by 1News.
According to Senior Launch Master Constable Nicko McGregor, the situation quickly became dangerous as the small vessel was pushed further offshore. The boaters also told authorities that the boat owner and skipper, who had been scuba diving closer to shore, were still in the water.
“The boaties also reported that the boat owner and skipper who had been on the trip with them had been scuba diving closer to shore and was still in the water,” said senior launch master constable Nicko McGregor, 1News has quoted.
With the lives of the boaters and divers at risk, police requested assistance from Life Flight’s Westpac Rescue Helicopter and the Wellington Volunteer Coastguard to help with the rescue operation.
At around 4.30pm, the police launch vessel Lady Elizabeth IV located the small runabout about 6 kilometres off Wellington’s south coast. The situation was complicated by the fact that the missing skipper was the only person who knew how to properly operate the boat, leaving the two remaining passengers unable to navigate it back to safety, as reported by 1News.
Crew members from the police vessel used an inflatable tender to safely reach the drifting boat. Constable Stephanie Cox then boarded the vessel, took control, and steered it safely back to the Owhiro Bay boat ramp on Wellington’s south coast.
Meanwhile, the search for the missing diver continued. Around 5.30 pm, about an hour and a half after the emergency call, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter located the diver on a remote stretch of shoreline.
The diver had surfaced after completing his dive and realised the boat had drifted away. He managed to swim to shore and was later seen waving for help. The helicopter crew airlifted him back to the Life Flight base at Wellington Airport, 1News has reported.
Although all three individuals escaped injury, they were reportedly shaken by the ordeal.
McGregor said the incident highlighted the importance of careful planning before heading out on the water.
“These two men can consider themselves lucky. These difficult weather conditions were no place for a small runabout to be," he said, as quoted by 1News.
He urged anyone planning a trip at sea to check weather conditions, carry proper safety equipment, have multiple forms of communication and ensure everyone on board knows how to operate the vessel.
"This is a reminder of how quickly situations at sea can change. Good preparation and formal training make a real difference when things don’t go to plan on the water," said McGregor, 1News has quoted.