Six people have been safely rescued after their vessel capsized crossing the Whakatāne bar this evening.
The alarm was raised at around 5:30pm when a member of the public ran into the Coastguard Whakatāne base and reported a vessel had gone over on the bar. Volunteer radio operators happened to be on site and responded immediately, with Whakatāne Rescue II launched within 15 minutes.
As the rescue vessel headed out, word came through that some of those on board had made it onto nearby rocks while others were still holding onto the hull.
Whakatāne Rescue II arrived just before 6pm to find all six had gathered on the rocks. They were brought back to shore and checked over by ambulance officers.
Coastguard noted no bar crossing trip report had been lodged before the vessel headed out, and reminded boaties to file one before departing and close it on return. An unclosed report gives Coastguard an early trigger to investigate and respond.
The quick thinking of the member of the public who ran to the base was singled out as critical to the outcome, particularly given the fading light.
The rescue came 24 hours after Coastguard volunteers in the same region were called out to search for a missing diver. That search resumed the following morning and ended with the person’s body being recovered.
