Life-saving equipment stolen

Patea has been robbed of crucial life-saving equipment, putting boaties and swimmers at serious risk.

A Coastguard volunteer discovered the Patea & Districts Boating Club had been broken into some time Friday night with the unwelcome visitor running off with the outboard motor from an inflatable rescue boat (IRB), South Taranaki Coastguard president Gary Darnell said.

‘‘We spent quite a bit of time raising the money to buy that IRB,’’ he said.

‘‘The last couple of years we’ve had two to three people roll their vessels on the bar and young people swimming getting swept out to sea, so it’s a safety thing.’’

The shed, located at the mouth of the Patea River, was also stripped of kits packed with enough wetsuits and booties for up to four people. Darnell said the kits were valued at $600 each, but the number of wetsuits stolen was not yet known.

The Coastguard volunteers were in the midst of training to operate their new fast response vessel, he said. The small boat was also about to undergo its survey under the Marine Safety Authority requirements.

The small town had received the ex-surf life saving club IRB early last year after raising $20,000 for the boat along with a quad bike and four life rings.

Darnell explained the purchase was in urgent response to the death of Kristopher Wichman, who drowned in 2015, and would help reduce the risks in the area.

He said a larger 6.8 metre Niad vessel could be used, but this was homed in Hawera and would take about 35 minutes to get to Patea.

During an emergency, time was of the essence, Darnell added.

Coastguard Taranaki has offered a spare motor but Darnell hoped the stolen 30-horsepower Mercury motor would be returned.

He said the shed was also broken into a year ago

‘‘We need to seriously consider whether or not to keep it here.’’

Andrew Purser, of the boat club, is pleading for whoever took the equipment to return it ‘‘no questions asked’’.

‘‘The Coastguard doesn’t have the funds to replace this life-saving device so it’s a bit of a shame.’’

An anonymous drop-off at Andrew Purser Panelbeaters Ltd in Hawera or an anonymous tip of where to pick up the motor would be appreciated. - Brittany Baker