-
Source: ONE News
Four people including a child have been rescued after spending all night sitting on top of their capsized boat off the Taranaki coast.
The Waverly mum and dad, their ten year old son and a family friend went fishing off the local beach on Thursday afternoon in a four metre aluminium dinghy.
Locals noticed their car and empty boat trailer were still in the car park at 7am Friday morning and raised the alarm.
An air and sea search was launched immediately and the capsized boat was found around 9.30.
The four rescued people are now all in Wanganui hospital. They aren't injured but are being treated for exposure.
Police say they're lucky to be alive as they had filed no trip plan with the coastguard and weren't carrying an emergency locater beacon.
Police say their saving graces were that they were wearing life-jackets, other boaties saw them yesterday afternoon and were able to give co-ordinates, and their boat was a pontoon type which is almost impossible to sink.
Their conditions are described as stable.
Latest NZ News Video
-
ONE News Minute 9am update: May 26 (1:00)
-
Kids cough up $14m for Government (1:50)
-
Education ministry 'barbaric' (1:55)
