The rescue happened on the Manawatu River. Photo / Supplied
The rescue happened on the Manawatu River. Photo / Supplied
Rescuers save woman in icy river.
Two heroes jumped into a swollen North Island river to save the life of a woman swept away.
Kayla Tenwell and a friend were walking her dog along the banks of the Manawatu River yesterday morning when the 22-year-old's cavoodle Bella went into the water and got into difficulty.
Tenwell jumped in to help but was quickly swept downstream.
Nathan Taylor, who was walking past with his partner Kirsty Harvey, dived in and managed to reach Tenwell but the pair were swept up to 200m downstream, Taylor struggling to keep Tenwell's head above water.
"It was so cold and so swift. It just sort of took your breath away. She was very cold and scared for her life."
A log proved a lifesaver, and Taylor pushed Tenwell on to it, holding her so she didn't slip back into the water.
"She was absolutely buggered. I was thinking 'I've just got to hold on, just hold on and make sure she stays there'. I just didn't want to lose her."
Olympic kayaking triallist and Palmerston North firefighter Anne Cairns arrived with emergency services at the riverbank and could hear Taylor calling for help.
She stripped down to shorts and T-shirt before moving 150m upstream to use the current to float down to the exact spot where Taylor and Tenwell were precariously perched.
"They were about 50m from the bank but the current was running too fast to be able to go out direct so we decided to go upstream and I swam out and down to them," said Cairns.
"I had to use the river to help us get into the right position."
She initially swam out to the couple attached to a rescue line with flotation devices but the rope caused too much drag.
"I realised I wasn't going to pull the length of rope out far enough so I ditched the rope and just swum out. Otherwise I would have gone straight past them."
Anne Cairns is a trained firefighter and world champion rafter. Photo / Lynda Feringa
When she reached the pair she reassured them help was on its way.
"I said 'you've done an awesome job staying above the water and hang on for a bit longer'. I told them they were in safe hands and there were plenty of people to help."
Shortly after midday the rescue helicopter arrived and the trio were winched to safety.
Cairns praised Taylor's efforts saying a tragedy was averted.
"I was glad to be on shift and in the right place to be able to help.
"But the real hero of the day is that guy jumping in and being able to help her. If he hadn't been able to get there as early as he did then I'm not quite sure how she would have got on."
Taylor and Tenwell were taken to hospital but released last night.
Tenwell described the feeling of relief when she "felt a body" next to her in the water.
"I didn't see a face, there's was water going over my eyes. I just just felt a body. It was just relief. Someone's helping me."
She gave Taylor a "massive, massive thank you" after they were pulled from the water. "No words can express how thankful I was to have him there."
Taylor said he didn't feel like a hero. "I'm just thankful everyone was okay. There's a life at risk, you've just got to do it."
