Five people have been pulled from the water after a boat sank near a mussel farm off Ponui Island, east of Auckland, this evening.
Police and Coastguard were alerted to the sinking at around 5.30pm on Sunday,
Coastguard sent Coastguard Maraetai, Westpac Rescue sent Northern Rescue 1 and police deployed the Eagle helicopter to search the area.
A police spokesperson said the helicopter crew found the group.
“The crew spotted five people in the water and alerted a nearby boat, that came to assist.”
A Coastguard spokesperson said the rescue had been split between the two boats.
“A nearby boat was able to rescue three people from the water. Coastguard rescued the other two.”
One person had been treated for hypothermia after being pulled from the water, and police said paramedics had seen one person.
All five were taken ashore at Kawakawa Bay.
Ponui Island sits in the Hauraki Gulf, south-east of Waiheke Island and just off the coast from Kawakawa Bay.
SHARE ME