A Porirua man has been arrested after allegedly attempting to flee police by boat, sparking a pursuit across the water this morning.
Police said it visited the Mana Twin Bridges public boat ramp at 8.30am Friday to arrest a 27-year-old man for breaching bail conditions.
The man reportedly jumped into a boat and sped away from police, who immediately reported the escape, prompting the Wellington Maritime Unit to respond.
Police Catamaran Lady Elizabeth IV, which was operating nearby, began searching for the "red and old" vessel. Around 20 minutes later, the boat was spotted off the Plimmerton coastline.
Maritime Unit supervisor Sergeant Richard Kennedy said the man ignored repeated instructions to stop when confronted by police.
"When he saw us, he did a 180 in his boat and headed off at a rate of knots," Kennedy said.
"He hit Porirua harbour at speed and headed toward the shore, with us in pursuit."
Kennedy said police coordinated with officers on land as the man made his way back toward Paremata.
The pursuit ended when officers found the man hiding under a boat shed on the south side of the Twin Bridges. He was back in custody about 15 minutes after the chase began.
Kennedy said it was rare for boaties to ignore police instructions.
"It’s extremely unusual for boats not to comply with directions – most boaties are great to deal with and it’s very unusual for them to try to run from us," he said.
The man was charged with breach of bail and escaping custody, with a further charge of dangerous boating also being considered.
He was due to appear in Wellington District Court in the coming days.
Fisheries Officers were also making inquiries following an inspection of the vessel.
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