Students' rowing stunt angers police

A University of Otago rowing eight are in the bad books of police and search and rescue but could win themselves flights to Australia after a stunt on Otago Harbour yesterday.

The university's senior men's eight first towed their captain around on a surfboard before "rescuing" him from a harbour beacon.

The eight were trying to win a Freedom Air competition by dressing in yellow and videotaping themselves doing something unusual.

Unfortunately for the students, an alert resident spotted Brooke Ebbett on the beacon, yelling for help, and immediately phoned the police thinking he was in trouble.

The Coast Guard and Marine Search and Rescue were put on stand-by while the police went to the rowing club to see what had happened.

After leaving the water, Mr Ebbett was met by Constable Joseph Zetko.

Search and Rescue head Rowan Leck said when contacted it was frustrating for staff, who had to wait for an hour to see what was happening.

If the students won the competition, they could give the Search and Rescue group a donation for wasting its time, he said.

Dunedin Coast Guard head Lox Kellas was disappointed by the students' actions and intended to file a report with Maritime New Zealand.

Acting Senior Sergeant Craig Brown said police had considered arresting the students for wasting police time, but had let them off.

The police should have been informed of the stunt as they had to act on such information, he said.

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES