Life jackets are being hailed the hero after two men were flung from their jetski and spent over half an hour in cold Wellington waters.
The men were travelling from Petone beach to Wellington yesterday when they hit a wave in the harbour and both were tossed from the jetski into the 13C water.
One of the men tried to swim after the jetski but was unable to reach it as it was blown away in 25-knot winds, police say in a statement.
About 1.5 kilometres from shore one of the men had a water-resistant phone and was able to call police. They'd been in the water about half an hour.
A mayday relay was broadcast and a search was conducted by Police with the help of the Centreport harbour pilot boat, two tug boats (Tapuhi and Tiaki) and Coastguard.
The two men were pulled from the water a short time later.
One was treated for hypothermia symptoms.
However, Wellington Police Maritime Unit's Senior Constable Kyle Smith said it was lucky the pair were prepared.
"It's situations like this that show just how important it is to wear a life jacket when you're out on the water, and ideally you should have two forms of waterproof communication devices such as a handheld VHF radio, a mobile phone in a waterproof case, a personal locater beacon or EPIRB, or a rocket or smoke flares," he said.
"Without life jackets and waterproof comms, it could have been a very different outcome for these two."
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