Lifeguards swim to children stranded after jetski mishap

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Surf lifeguards got involved late last Friday afternoon after a jet ski sucked a tow rope into its water intake, flipping the riders off the sea biscuit it was towing.

The paid lifeguards at Waikanae had finished their patrol that evening when they saw three children clinging to an inflatable sea biscuit, a surf lifesaving spokeswoman said.

They were near the mouth of the river at The Cut.

Two of the children were 11 years old and the other was eight.

“The lifeguards were able to swim out and used a knife to cut the tow rope.

“Then they brought the children to shore.

“They were very cold when brought in, so they were taken to the first aid room at the surf club to be warmed up.”

She said once the children were secured by the lifeguards the jet ski rider went off up the river and returned later to pick them up from Kaiaponi Farms Waikanae SLSC.

Sea conditions at the time were clean, almost non-existent surf, however the water temperature would have dropped at the time of the incident around 6.15pm.

“Jet skis have been a major issue over the past few weeks with some jet ski operators ignoring the rules around riding near the shore,” the SLSNZ spokeswoman said.

“A jet ski must not exceed 5 knots in any river and must operate 200 metres or more from the water’s edge.

“They may only travel at 5 knots or less within 50m of a person in the water — that includes surfers.”