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Fast action from New Zealand billionaire businessman Graeme Hart ensured emergency services were not "picking bodies" from the water after a boat caught fire and sank off Waiheke Island early today.
Three people were flown to an Auckland hospital after Mr Hart rescued them from a burning yacht at Waiheke Island and took them to shore.
Northern Region Coastguard duty officer Katherine Andrews told NZPA today Mr Hart had made the coastguard's job easier for them.
"Rather than picking up bodies we were dealing with the fire."
Fire chief for the island Ron Leonard said details Mr Hart went to the rescue of the people, and a dog.
It is understood the three people may have abandoned the boat and been in the water when Mr Hart reached them.
Mr Leonard said: "I understand he took his own boat and rescued the three people and the dog and took them to another wharf where emergency services picked them up."
All three had suffered burns and the dog had a burnt nose, he said.
Mr Leonard said Mr Hart owned Church Beach, near where the incident happened.
He said he had not spoken to Mr Hart, owner of Rank Group, but did speak to a woman at the scene who he understood to be Mr Hart's wife. "She was very calm."
Mr Leonard was not sure if Mr Hart had rescued the people from the water or from the burning boat, however he said: "But he did rescue them and it was rather heroic."
Auckland Rescue Helicopter staff suggested the rescue had been from the water.
Mr Leonard said he would have to speak with Mr Hart, along with the police, as part of the investigation into the fire.
Helicopter
A woman and two men were flown by Westpac Rescue Helicopter to Auckland City Hospital after they and the dog were taken off the yacht and on to shore at Matiatia by Mr Hart. From there they were taken by ambulance to Surfdale.
Helicopter staff said the woman suffered injuries that were serious but not life-threatening, with burns to about 10 per cent of her body. She is understood to have a blistered face and feet.
The two men received mild to moderate injuries. One suffered smoke inhalation, which apparently occurred when he went back into the cabin to look for the dog.
The Fire Service was alerted at 11.48pm last night that there were flames on the water in Church Bay and that yelling and screaming could be heard, a spokeswoman said.
When a fire crew arrived, the boat was well alight.
The police launch Deodar was called in to help to put out the fire on the drifting boat.
Flames burnt the vessel to the its waterline and it sank when the fire was extinguished.
The Rank Group told nzherald.co.nz it had no comment to make and Mr Hart was not available.
Who is Graeme Hart?
Graeme Hart is New Zealand's richest man with has a personal wealth thought to be between $3 billion and $4 billion.
He is known to be notoriously private, shunning media interviews and shielding his wife and two children from any publicity.
His privately owned Rank Group was involved in the top four business deals in New Zealand last year, including selling the Uncle Tobys snackfood business to Nestle in May and making $1.1 billion in the process.
The owner of Australasian food giant Burns Philp and New Zealand forestry company Carter Holt Harvey is ranked 451st richest person in the world by American business magazine Forbes.
Hart famously began his business empire after dropping out of Mount Roskill Grammar aged 16 and working as tow-truck driver and panel-beater.
- NZPA, NZHERALD STAFF
