Three men whose boat sunk off the coast of Whangaparaoa this morning made their first vital phone call not to emergency services- but to one of their wives.
The trio were found clinging to a chilly bin after their tinnie sunk shortly after 8am this morning.
Their rescuers have praised them for wearing lifejackets.
The men were plucked from the water about 6km north of Big Manly Beach, after setting off from Hatfields beach in a four metre tinnie.
Police, Coastguard and Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter were alerted to the trio's plight shortly after 8am by the wife of one of the men, who had made a mayday call to her.