Northland couple cling to tinnie for an hour in the ocean

The Northland Rescue Helicopter team were at Te Ngaere to check a couple who had been in the water for an hour. Photo / File

A couple spent an hour in cold ocean water clinging to side of their tinnie after a fishing trip took a turn for the worse off Northland's coast.

The local couple had launched from Te Ngaere Bay, 26km north east of Kaeo, and were about 1.5km off the coast when their 14ft tinnie was swapped by a wave about 11am.

Constable Julian Trinder, who was part of the police team that responded to the emergency, said the couple were both wearing lifejackets and had a phone which they were able to call for help on.

They were returning to shore when a wave washed over the transom, causing the boat to become very low in the water. Trinder said, despite bailing, the couple found themselves out of the boat and unable to get back in.

"They have been in the water for about an hour but managed to call police from their cellphone," Trinder said.

The Northland Rescue Helicopter team was dispatched from Whangārei, a coastguard team was called and the Customs boat in the area was notified.

However, thanks to a local with an 18ft Haines Hunter boat the police launched and headed out to the stricken couple, who were behind Dome Rock in the bay.

"When we got there they were both very cold and the woman was suffering from cramp."

Trinder plunged into the water and helped the 59-year-old woman and 64-year-old male to the rescue boat.

Back onshore they were checked over by a St John Paramedic flying with the helicopter team and were not taken to hospital.

The team from Customs towed the tinnie back to shore.

"They did everything right by wearing a life jacket and having a means of communication.
They had let people know where they were going and how long they were going to be," Trinder said.