A 28-foot launch went down near the Sugar Loaf Rocks at the Poor Knights Islands this afternoon, triggering a multi-agency rescue that ended safely for all three people on board.
As water flooded into the vessel, the crew worked through their evacuation checklist, getting lifejackets on before going into the water themselves.
The boat was close to sinking by the time they abandoned it. A nearby vessel reached the scene quickly and pulled all three from the water.
Coastguard Tutukaka, the award winning unit formed in 1998, launched its rescue vessel, a 9 metre AC36 Protector based at a floating dock in Tutukaka Marina, just before 1.30pm. It arrived on scene shortly afterward, bringing the three survivors aboard and running welfare checks. None needed medical treatment.
By the time responders reached the launch, it was mostly submerged. Coastguard Tutukaka coordinated with other agencies on scene, including RCCNZ, to bring the incident to a close. The unit’s rescue vessel was back in harbour with the three on board by around 3pm.
Coastguard Tutukaka’s patch covers roughly 500 square nautical miles stretching from the Rimariki Islands to Bream Head, and out to the Poor Knights and beyond. It sits on the main route larger vessels use between Auckland and the Bay of Islands, and Tutukaka itself is a major hub for game fishing.
The incident is a reminder that wearing a lifejacket before entering the water can make a difference when a vessel is taking on water and needs a fast evacuation.
