Coastguard Hibiscus vessel. Photo: Supplied/Coastguard
Coastguard volunteers in Auckland have mounted a successful rescue in the early hours of the morning, retreiving a sailor stranded aboard an anchored yacht.
At about 11:45pm last night, Coastguard's Operations Centre received a call from a sailor ashore at Tindalls Beach who was unable to return to his vessel due to deteriorating weather conditions.
The man's partner was stranded on board as the yacht began to drag its anchor as it was buffeted by three-metre swells and 40-knot northeasterly gusts.
The volunteers on rescue vessel Hibiscus Rescue One departed Gulf Harbour Marina and navigated the challenging 12-nautical-mile journey that would normally take just 20 minutes.
Instead the rescue operation took over an hour due to the extreme conditions.
Upon arrival, the Coastguard volunteers successfully transferred the woman onto their rescue vessel, reporting her as "quite distressed" but not requiring medical attention.
The volunteers safely returned to Gulf Harbour Marina at 3:30am.
"This was a challenging rescue in tough conditions, but we know the capability of our crew and our rescue vessel," said Coastguard Hibiscus skipper, Reg Werner.
"Before departing, we carefully assessed the risks to ensure the safety of both our crew and the sailor in distress. Our volunteers showed incredible skill and determination, demonstrating the critical role Coastguard plays in keeping boaties safe on the water."
"If conditions are worsening, allow time to move to a safer and more sheltered position. The sailor ashore made the right call by seeking advice early - it's always better to be safe than sorry. We're here to help, no matter the situation," said Werner.
Coastguard reminds all boaties to regularly check forecasts and to ensure they have a reliable means of communication onboard in case of emergency.
Coastguard told RNZ they haven't had further weather-related call outs today in Auckland but are monitoring the situation.
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