Three children were swept out to sea at Pātea Beach on Sunday afternoon. Photo / Merania Karauria
Three children had a lucky escape after they were swept into the sea at Pātea beach.
The swimmers were swept out of a river mouth and into the sea on Sunday afternoon.
Police were alerted that the young swimmers were in trouble around 2.40pm.
One made it out of the water, while the other two were saved by a nearby swimmer who went out with a surfboard.
All three children were back ashore, apparently uninjured, by 3.05pm, the spokeswoman said.
The swimmers were tended to by St John Ambulance, she said.
Their lucky escape follows the discovery of two bodies believed to be that of a father and son reported missing after snokelling for pāua off the Wairarapa coast.
Another man died after rescuing a child at Seatoun Wharf in Wellington on Sunday afternoon.
READ MORE:
• Faecal warning at Auckland's beaches following downpour
• Six Auckland beaches have swimming alerts at the start of summer
• Red Alert: Dozens of 'high risk' swimming warnings for Auckland beaches
Meanwhile police have renewed their hunt for Hall's real killer.