Special bond after dramatic sea rescue
A dramatic sea rescue off the Taranaki coast has formed a special bond between two strangers.
Kevin Moore alerted emergency services yesterday morning after a friend vanished from view while fishing from a kayak about 500m out from the Waitara River mouth.
‘‘I went outside to put my boots on and he had disappeared,’’ Moore said.
Fearing for his friend’s life, Moore, a former longstanding Black Power member, rushed across to the boat ramp on the opposite side of the river from where he lives and ran into Iain Robertson, who was returning from fishing on his jetski.
‘‘One of the guys stopped me and asked if I had seen a kayaker out there, I hadn’t so I agreed to go back out across the bar and have a look for them,’’ Robertson, said.
Initially Robertson’s search found nothing but a black duffel coat floating in the surf; however, a police officer on shore was able to direct him to where the unresponsive man’s body was floating.
‘‘When I got there he was extremely cold and virtually unconscious, I had to pick him up on to the jetski and I basically had to hold him all the way back in across the bar and in here.
‘‘When I found him I was so happy to see that he was alive but he was very cold. I could see his eyes were moving but that was about it, he couldn’t move his arms.’’
Robertson said the man was hypothermic and could not speak so he knew he had arrived just in time and had to get him to dry land immediately.
‘‘I knew I had saved him at that stage,’’ he said.
‘‘I think another few minutes, we wouldn’t have been bringing him back alive.’’
Robertson, who moved to New Zealand from Scotland, said he felt emotional about saving the man’s life and was glad he was able to help.
St John paramedics treated the patient at the scene before transporting him to Taranaki Base Hospital.
Moore, who had tears of relief welling up in his eyes, embraced Robertson as he arrived back at the jetty and described him as a hero. ‘‘I will never forget his name,’’ he said.
Constable Gerhard Jacobs said the man had been in the cold water for at least 45 minutes and agreed Robertson had saved the day. ‘‘Iain is the hero, it’s very fortunate that he was there to help out,’’ Jacobs said.
‘‘If we had given it another five minutes we may not have found him in time.’’
He said the kayaker had phoned his father to say he had fallen out and his father had contacted police when he had lost sight of him.
Jacobs said it was a timely safety reminder for anyone enjoying recreational activities around the water to wear lifejackets, wetsuits, carry a form of communication with them and to always let someone know where you’re going and when you’re expected back.
"I could see his eyes were moving but that was about it, he couldn't move his arms." Rescuer Iain Robertson