A police officer says a trio of kayakers who found themselves in trouble on the water off Māhia Peninsula were fortunate a jetskier was able to help rescue them. File photo. Photo: 123rf
A jetskier has been praised for saving lives after rescuing two children and an adult from an overturned kayak off the Māhia peninsula.
The trio were in trouble on the water for about an hour and a half, said local constable Chad Prentice.
One of their kayaks had capsized and been pushed out to sea, while they clung to the other which was being blown off shore - with only one lifejacket between them.
Family on the shore raised the alarm about 9am on Wednesday.
"It's not a real built up area, there's no surf life savers or anything like that nearby, our closest Coastguard is a good hour away from that point, so there's not a lot of help there," Prentice said.
"On the way to the job I saw a couple of young fellas with a jetski at Whangawehi, and explained the situation to them, and they were really keen to help, which was fantastic."
They were the only people at the boat ramp, and they had the perfect vessel for the job, he said.
Prentice drove to the shore the trio had drifted away from, and his police car lights acted as a beacon for the jetskier to head for once he had picked up the kayakers.
The jetskier had "absolutely" saved their lives, he said.
"It could have ended very, very differently. We're really fortunate that they were where they were at the time ... really grateful that they were available, obliging, and they did a really outstanding job, a really good thing for our community."
The trio were pulling up craypots, which was too big a job to do from kayaks, said Prentice.
There were no injuries, and it was lucky that it was summer and the water was warm, he said.
"But they were very teary, and definitely shaken up," he said.
It served as a timely reminder to check the conditions, wear lifejackets, take cellphones in waterproof bags, and know the limits of your vessel, Prentice said - especially in remote areas "where help is not five minutes away".
