A tourist took an ill-advised stroll to an island on the east coast of Auckland yesterday – only to discover the incoming tide had closed off his return trip.
Senior Sergeant Garry Larsen of the Auckland Marine Rescue Centre said police were called last night after a man was caught out by the tide after walking from Pine Harbour to Motukaraka Island.
Officers found the international visitor’s vehicle in the carpark, while police helicopter Eagle searched areas around the island.
“The crew quickly advised they had found a man lying down on the top of a concrete structure,” Larsen said.
The man was picked up by the Police boat, Deodar.
The Sunday rescue capped an eventful week for the rescue service.
Kayaker in distress
About midday on Friday, a pilot of a small plane over the Mahurangi Inlet contacted police after noticing a kayaker who had fallen out and was struggling to get back in.
The Eagle was deployed and quickly located the man, said air support unit supervisor Sergeant Mark Jamieson.
“The crew observed a fishing boat nearby, so flew low and close, signalling them to follow us,” he said.
“They retrieved the male from the water, with him reporting he had been like that for over an hour.”
The man was taken to shore where an ambulance was waiting to treat him for hypothermia.
Teenagers in trouble
On Wednesday, the Eagle crew were required after reports of two teenagers stuck on the side of a cliff in Whangaparāoa Bay.
The teenagers were found around 20m from the top of the cliff, and 50m from the beach below.
Jamieson said they were “holding on to trees to stay put as the rocks underneath them fell away”.
“With the assistance of Search and Rescue and FENZ the duo were able to repel access down to the beach below.”
He stressed that it was lucky all three situations ended positively, and people were reminded to call 111 as soon as possible if they got into trouble.
