Injured yachtie airlifted from rocks

A yachtie is in a serious condition in hospital after he was rescued from rocks off the west coast of the North Island yesterday.

A Westpac Rescue Helicopter crew received a mayday call from the yacht Joint Venture at about 4.20pm, saying a crew member was unconscious with head injuries.

Police said the yacht managed to make its own way to land near Kawhia, north of Raglan, and the injured crew member was then winched aboard the helicopter.

Circumstances surrounding the incident are still unclear but Westpac Rescue Helicopter crewman Herby Barnes said they found the 6m fibreglass boat on the rocks in seas with a swell of about 1.5m. The two crewmen were on rocks nearby.

He said the injured man was semi-conscious, hypothermic and had taken in a lot of water when they reached him.

"One guy was attending to the other, trying to keep him warm and trying to keep him breathing.

"Somehow they got thrown out of the boat, which indicates it may have lost power and been rolled by a wave.

"They weren't getting bashed, but the injured guy was quite big and the other guy couldn't lift him out of the water."

Mr Barnes said luck was on the men's side, as the helicopter crew were on the way to Auckland from Waihi when they received the call.

"They were quite lucky. We got there in 10 minutes. It usually takes 30 minutes from Auckland.

"They were right near the cliffs, about 1km north from the harbour, so it was lucky the signal was picked up."

The injured man remains in a serious condition in Waikato Hospital with head injuries. The other man was unhurt, said Mr Barnes.

"He just needs a warm blankie and a chequebook for his boat."

The boat was brought in to Raglan Harbour last night.