Stranded kayaker had all but given up, say cops
“Tell my wife I love her.” Those were the words a brave police officer heard when he plunged into the Manukau Harbour to reassure a kayaker who had given up hope of returning home after spending three hours in the chilly water.
“The male was [saying], ‘Tell my wife I love her’, and all of those sorts of things,” said air support unit Sergeant Colin Ware, the rescuers’ superior.
“His mindset was he was close to giving up by the sound of it, he didn’t give very positive feedback initially,” he told the Herald.
The Eagle helicopter spotted the man, who was motionless in the water apart from signalling to them with a thumbs down to suggest he was in a bad way.
A police officer in the helicopter above took matters into his own hands, jumping into a wetsuit and equipping himself with flotation gear.
He was dropped off in the water and swam over to the kayaker who said he had been stuck in the water for around three hours before they arrived.
Early on Tuesday afternoon a bystander spotted a capsized kayak floating in the water, and the helicopter quickly found the man floating nearby.
The kayaker was wearing only an old flotation vest, a windproof jacket and pants when he was found by the helicopter crew. The helicopter was not equipped with gear which could rescue the man from the water and the Fire Rescue Service from Auckland Airport was called to assist.
A hovercraft and staff members were deployed but it took them some time to reach the scene.
“The crew decided there was a bit of a time delay from when the hovercraft was actually going to get there,” Ware said.
“The concerned crew member changed into a wetsuit, utilised the vest that we’ve got and took the surf lifesaving tube with him.
“He was able to offer buoyancy with the rescue tube and reassurance, and help him out basically.”
The police officer wrapped a surf lifesaving tube over the man’s stomach and under his arms, floating underneath the man to help keep him afloat.
When the hovercraft arrived, the kayaker and the police officer were plucked from the water and transported to shore at French Bay.
A St John ambulance and its staff were waiting and established that the kayaker had hypothermia.
Ware said this was not the first time a police officer had jumped from the helicopter into water to help someone in distress.
It’s not overly common but it’s something they train for, said Ware.
“It was a good call to get in the water with him, the crew concerned are pleased they were able to help, they don’t want to be publicised.”
The man was transported to Waitakere Hospital in a serious condition.