Police confirmed that all four people have since been recovered after a multi-agency response and the assistance of a resident who was alerted to the incident and helped search for the kayakers with a private helicopter.
Volunteers from Coastguard Whangamatā, Coastguard Waihī Beach, Coastguard Tairua-Pāuanui, Auckland Coastguard Air Patrol, and Surf Life Saving helped aid the rescue efforts.
“Luckily, everyone was wearing life jackets and wetsuits as a precaution,” the spokesperson said
It is recommended that anyone who is planning to go out on the water, including when you are boating, kayaking or paddleboarding should wear a life jacket.
“Police advise outdoor enthusiasts to always check weather and ocean forecasts before setting out on your journey; today, high winds were forecast, which likely contributed to the incident.”
A Coastguard spokesperson added all the kayakers were “well-prepared” for the conditions, wearing wetsuits and lifejackets.
“Due to a planned search and rescue exercise off the Coromandel coast today, we had a number of Coastguard volunteers, Surf Life Saving and police assets involved in the search,” Coastguard Unit Support Manager, Murray Whitehead said.
“This included Coastguard Whangamatā, Coastguard Waihi Beach and Coastguard Tairua-Pauanui. This fantastic result highlights the value of Coastguard volunteers and other first responders coming together to train and enhance their search and rescue capabilities ahead of summer.”
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