Published: 9:06PM Sunday November 08, 2009
Source: NZPA
Source: ONE News
A lifejacket saved an elderly whitebaiter swept one kilometre out to sea off the Canterbury coast.
The 74-year-old man was whitebaiting at the mouth of the Rakaia River, about 40km east of Ashburton on Sunday afternoon.
Sergeant Dean Lawrence of police southern communications said police were notified that he had been swept out to sea.
A rescue helicopter sent from Christchurch found the man one kilometre out to sea and winched him aboard.
He was taken to Christchurch Hospital suffering from hypothermia.
"The fact that the man survived is put down to the fact that he was wearing a life jacket," Lawrence said.
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