Unicorn sighting blown out of proportion

Kāpiti Coastguard made a magical find off the coast of Raumati South.

On Saturday, April 10, Kāpiti Coastguard was called out to make an unusual rescue, one which led the police and Kāpiti Coastguard on a unicorn chase.

At 11.10am in the morning the Coastguard's pagers went off.

'Please attend, object sited, one mile off shore, between Raumati South and Paekākāriki,' was the message.

"That's all we were given," Kāpiti Coastguard's Pete Woodward said.

It was a Saturday morning like any other, but a message like this always gets the Coastguard into action, so they headed out straight away liaising with police on shore at Paekākāriki.

"The object was travelling at approximately 5-6 knots and it was suggested we go at all possible speeds."

Kāpiti Coastguard successfully rescued a unicorn on a call out.

Reports from the beach were of it potentially being an upturned vessel, with an outboard motor.

Going quickly and safely, the Coastguard vessel went out and when they arrived it was not what they had expected.

What we found was at least 1.5m long and similarly high.

"It was white and it had a colourful tail which was what we thought could have been an outboard motor."

As they got closer they saw a glittering horn, and realised they had found an inflatable unicorn.

"When we found it was a unicorn, there was a lot of laughter and hilarity.

"We just laughed, especially telling the police back on the beach.

"Eventually the unicorn was lassoed and we got it on board."

Pleased it wasn't an upturned vessel, the Coastguard boat skippered by Mark Davidson completed a search of the area to make sure there were no children that had fallen off the inflatable unicorn.

"We did have to check that there was no child that had fallen off it and did a search back towards the way it had come," Pete said.

"When you see an object and you don't know what it is, in this case we were just pleased it wasn't an upturned vessel.

"Being a unicorn was just hilarious, it shows us at Coastguard can have a fun side too."

Still unclaimed, Coastguard are keen to find the owner before the air is taken out of this unicorn's tail.