Around 3am, three men were out on a late-night fishing trip in Wairoa Bay when a large wave struck their 12-foot aluminium dinghy, flooding it rapidly and sending it to the bottom. None of them were wearing life jackets. One managed to swim to shore near the Waitangi Mountain Bike Park, but his two companions were last seen clinging to a chilly bin somewhere out in the bay. Nearly three and a half hours would pass before the survivor raised the alarm.
The first report reached Police at 6.45am. From that moment to the recovery of the last missing man, less than two hours elapsed. That swift resolution owed much to something that had taken place just beforehand: a joint search and rescue training exercise conducted in the same stretch of water by Northland Police and Coastguard Bay of Islands crews.
"We just had training in the exact location and so it was all pretty fresh in our minds," said Coastguard Bay of Islands Skipper Rafe Tollemache. "Our crew were able to get there quickly. We dropped everything and got there in good time."
Detective Sergeant Paul Overton, Northland Police's Search and Rescue lead, was equally pointed about what that preparation had delivered. "Undergoing that training paid dividends during this rescue," he said.
After Police alerted the Coastguard National Operations Centre at around 7am, Coastguard Bay of Islands volunteers headed out aboard Bay Rescue 2, joining the Auckland-based Heli Med helicopter, Far North LandSAR, Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter, and Maritime and Northern Rescue in a broad, coordinated response. Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter Chief Aircrew Officer Ati Wynyard described the operation as yet another example of agencies pulling together to avert potential tragedy.
Once the search was underway, progress came quickly. Shortly after 8am, a Police officer who had borrowed a motorbike from Bayleys Farm to run shoreline checks found one of the missing men, cold but uninjured. Less than an hour later, Heli Med located the third man on rocks near Bayleys Farm. He was winched into the helicopter and taken for treatment, where he was assessed with minor injuries.
Tollemache was candid about how fortunate the outcome had been. "They were pretty lucky, especially with no lifejackets. They were lucky it happened at this time of year with warmer water and early light on their side."
Detective Sergeant Overton put it plainly. "I cannot stress just how incredibly lucky these three men are. This situation could have had a dire outcome and we're thankful we've been able to return these men back to their loved ones."
He also pointed to a sobering statistic: most recreational boating deaths occur close to shore in small craft. His message to boaties was clear. Check the marine forecast, wear a life jacket, carry two waterproof ways to call for help, and always tell someone where you are going. "We cannot say it enough."
Tollemache directed his own caution at those who fish after dark. "Think twice before going fishing at night, know the abilities of yourself and your boat. It's also really important to wear your lifejackets at all times."
Northland Police shared details of the incident on Facebook at 1.08pm today, with Coastguard New Zealand following on Facebook at 6:17pm.
