-
Westpac rescue helicopter
A jetskier being dragged out to sea has been plucked from the water about 1.5km off the Wairarapa coast on Sunday afternoon.
The 24-year-old Auckland man was knocked from his jetski near Lake Ferry after striking something in the water.
The incident was seen by people on shore and a spotter with binoculars was able to direct the Wellington-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter directly to him.
The helicopter arrived on the scene just 15 minutes after it was notified, about 1pm.
The jetskier would have spent less than an hour in the water.
"Without the spotter we would have found him but we wouldn't have flown right to him," says Dave Greenberg, Westpac Rescue Helicopter crewman.
The water was dirty and there were a lot of logs floating about.
"He looked just like a log, to be honest. He's a lucky boy."
The man, who said he had hit something in the water, was winched from the water and flown back to shore. He was shaken and cold but otherwise fine and did not need to be taken to hospital.
His jetski was not recovered.
The helicopter was then called to Titahi Bay, north of Porirua, after reports of an empty kayak being swept out to sea.
However, the kayak turned out to be a large log floating in the water.
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)
