At 0910 hours today Coastguard Radio received a distress call from an unknown vessel, the call was broken and barely readable but the location was thought to be on the West Coast of the North Island near Muriwai Beach. With this a multi-agency search and rescue response was initiated with Coastguard’s Search Aircraft responding from Ardmore together with the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and local Surf Life Saving Club.

Shortly after a 0939 hours the Rescue Coordination Centre picked up a beacon signal showing the location as just north of the Bay of Islands near Taronui Bay. The beacon was registered to a Waka ama indicating that multiple people could be on the vessel in distress. With this all other resources were stood down and the Rescue Coordination Centre tasked HeliMed from Whangarei with Coastguard Operations Centre tasking volunteers on-board Bay Rescue II to the scene. Coastguard Volunteers were on scene within 40 minutes to pull 6 people from the water with the Waka ama having broken up. All people are now accounted for an being transported by Coastguard to an awaiting ambulance for further medical checks.

“Today’s positive outcome is a huge credit to them for having the right equipment and proof that wearing a lifejacket saves lives. Carrying a VHF Radio and Locator Beacon has made a huge impact to our response time of our Volunteers onboard Bay Rescue II and a reminder of the importance of this search and rescue resource for the northland community” Hemi Manaena, Duty Officer, Coastguard Operations Centre