Couple rescued after surf patrol ends

A husband and wife who went boogie boarding after regular patrol hours had to be rescued from 2m waves at Mangawhai Beach last night.

The couple entered the sea at 7.30pm - after the beach's volunteer patrols had finished.

"They had no idea of where the dangers on the beach were and ended up rushing straight out into a pumping rip and ended up swept out to sea," said lifeguard Dean Storey.

Waves battered the pair for 15 minutes, ripping the boogie boards from their grasp. The woman began to take in large amounts of water and had to have her head supported above the water by her husband, who tried get them back to the beach against the rip.

Mr Storey and another off-duty lifeguard, Kate Fisher, noticed the pair and raced to help them. Mr Storey swam out with a rescue tube, while Ms Fisher took a rescue board out. The pair were in chest-deep water, but exhausted, when the lifeguards reached them.

The woman, who was having trouble breathing, was given oxygen.

The couple were taken to Whangarei Hospital by ambulance for further treatment.

The rescue capped off a busy weekend for lifeguards at the east coast beach. As well as daylight rescues, they attended two after-hour incidents involving overturned boats.