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Source: ONE News
A Wellington couple aged in their 70's are lucky to be alive after their yacht hit rocks off Plimmerton Beach near Wellington.
The couple phoned police from a cell phone at approximately 9.45pm after their boat hit rocks a few hundred metres off shore; losing power and taking on water.
The Police, Westpac Rescue Helicopter and Coastguard were all sent to the aid of the couple, who managed to climb into a small dinghy, in choppy conditions, as their boat sank beneath them.
The couple remained calm and kept police appraised of their location and the sea conditions, all whilst donning their lifejackets and firing flares to assist their rescuers to locate them in the dark.
They were brought aboard a Mana Coastguard vessel just as their boat sank in approximately 22 metres of water.
The Westpac Rescue helicopter was also present at the scene with a winch crew to extract them from the water if required.
Once ashore, they were checked by ambulance staff and were able to return home.
Their boat and their small dinghy were both lost during the ordeal, and police expect debris from them to wash ashore in the next few days.
