Divers' lucky rescue from circling sharks

9.00am

Two divers had a lucky escape when a rescue helicopter plucked them from rocks in shark-infested waters near Mangawhai, south of Whangarei.

Rescuers said looking down on the pair - who were stranded on a rock ready to be covered by a rising tide while sharks circled around them - was like watching a horror movie.

The men were perched on a rock about 200m offshore from Mangawhai at about 12.30pm on Monday.

Beside them lay a dead three-metre-long shark that they had apparently speared and dragged out of the water.

Other sharks circled the rock as the tide started to come in. The rock is fully submerged at high tide.

Advanced paramedic Mark Going said the men, who appeared to be in their late 20s, had speared the huge shark off Te Arai Pt, south of Mangawhai.

"They dragged it up on the rocks that get covered at high tide, then they saw these other sharks circling," Mr Going said.

"So they waved and tried to get the attention of people on shore. They were expecting a boat to come out to get them."

Mr Going said those watching from the shore mistook the dead shark on the rock for a diver in distress and called emergency services.

The Northland Electricity rescue helicopter arrived with two pilots, Mr Going and Whangarei water rescue team member Dean Walford on board.

Mr Walford, who was winched down on to the 3.5m by 3.5m rock, said the circling sharks were clearly visible.

"We could see them from the air. Their fins were going round (the rock). It was like something out of a horror movie," he said.

Mr Walford put strops on the two men, and waited on the rock with the sharks still circling, and the tide rising, while they were lifted ashore.

Mr Walford said the pair had done the right thing in seeking help: "Nobody would want to swim with sharks."

They had about two hours left when they were rescued before the tide would have covered the rocks and left them at the mercy of the sharks.

He understood that once they were safe on shore they intended to get a boat, return to the rock and retrieve their gear which had become wrapped around the dead shark.

It is understood the men might have speared the shark to stop it getting fish they were spearing.

The two divers were not available for comment.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)