Drastic rescue at treacherous bar
Boat overturns at Tairua, three people in critical condition
Three people, including a child, were flown by rescue helicopter to hospital in critical condition yesterday after a boat with five people on board flipped on the Tairua Bar near Pauanui.
The incident unfolded just after 2.30pm with two flown to Starship hospital in Auckland, and the third person to Waikato Hospital, a St John Ambulance spokeswoman said.
The two other people on board the boat at the time it flipped were treated at the scene for minor injuries.
One of those flown to Starship hospital by Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter’s Westpac 3 was a boy in a critical condition, rescue helicopter spokeswoman Lincoln Davies said. A woman in her 30s was also among those caught up in the incident, suffering minor injuries.
The Westpac 2 rescue helicopter was also sent to help, Davies said.
Multiple ambulances and rescue helicopters were sent to help soon after 2.30pm.
Video shot at the scene showed people holding up a sheet as ambulance officers worked near a surf lifesaving IRB. It also showed a semisubmerged boat near shore.
Aucklander Campbell Wright was on a boat going out fishing when he saw 20 to 30 people in the water trying to right the stricken vessel, which he believed was a pleasure boat about 5m long.
“There was a massive line of people trying to right the boat. It took a lot of people and a long time.
“There was a big cheer when they got it over.”
The incident comes two days after a boatload of people had a lucky escape when rough seas also flipped their vessel on the Tairua Bar.
Video provided to the Herald showed the Coastguard towing the submerged, upside-down boat before a crowd of people helped right it.
The Pauanui surf lifesaving club had picked up the boat’s passengers, none of whom were injured, but the boat had been upturned and was on the inside of the bar, Andrew Gibson, president of the Tairua-pauanui Coastguard unit, said.
“It is a treacherous bar, especially at low tide.” — NZ Herald