Police are asking the public to avoid swimming at Waimairi Beach for the time due to debris and fuel from a nearby capsized boat being in the water.
Police say they received a report of a boat in distress last night around 11:10pm and managed to track it to a location off Waimairi Beach.
"At about 11:35pm an officer at the beach spotted a boat that appeared to be struggling about 2km offshore," police said in a release.
"The boat ran aground offshore about midnight, and a Westpac rescue helicopter was dispatched.
"Shortly before 1am the helicopter airlifted three people to safety, two from the boat and one from the water."
The trio were taken to hospital with two in a serious condition.
This morning, police have discovered there is a small amount of debris and fuel in the water at Waimairi Beach as a result of the incident which poses a safety risk for swimmers.
Multiple agencies are working to clear the area as soon as possible but police ask for the time being to stay out of the water.
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