KEY POINTS:
A police helicopter on a routine flight rescued two swimmers in trouble in heavy seas off an isolated beach.
The helicopter's crew saw the two men - one a 55-year old man, the other an off duty policeman - about 200m off Kare Kare Beachon on Auckland's west coast.
There were heavy swells at the time and it was obvious both men were in trouble, police said. One was waving his hand in the air in an effort to attract the attention of the flight crew.
The Eagle helicopter then landed on the beach and crew enabled their life tube before flying back offshore.
It was at that point the crew recognised one of the men battling the 2.5m swells and a tidal rip as a police colleague. The other was a West Auckland man.
The rescue, yesterday afternoon, lasted almost 15 minutes and was successfully completed without injury.
- NZHERALD STAFF
