Two rescued by helicopter off Glenavy after boat sinks
TWO people were rescued by helicopter from waters off South Canterbury on New Year’s Eve after their boat sank.
A police spokeswoman said police and fire crews were called at 5.05pm to reports of a ‘‘small aluminium vessel’’ having gone down off Glenavy, north of the Waitaki River.
Two people were in the water, she said. Both were believed to be wearing life jackets.
An Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter was dispatched and the Coastguard called.
The spokeswoman said later the pair had been rescued and, as of 6.40pm, were on the way to Oamaru Hospital, both in a moderate condition.
It appeared they had been rescued with the helicopter’s winch.
A call came over maritime radio channel 16 (the distress channel) about 5.45pm, describing the pair as 400m offshore from Fisheries Rd, Glenavy, near the mouth of the river.
Two children were treated for injuries after falling off a sea biscuit on Lake Benmore on New Year’s Eve.
A St John spokesman confirmed they were called to an incident shortly before 2pm.
‘‘It happened out on the lake . . . they have some sort of fall off the biscuit and collided.’’ He said one sustained moderate injuries and the other minor.
Both were taken by ambulance to Oamaru Hospital.
No other details were known.