A paramedic had to be lowered into the sea to swim to a small boat off the Napier coast on Tuesday in a bid to resuscitate a man stricken by a medical event at sea.
Despite the medical team’s efforts, the man could not be revived.
Emergency services were advised about 10.10am, and Hawke’s Bay’s Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter and Coastguard Hawke’s Bay rescue craft Celia Knowles were both called into the rescue.
Rescue helicopter service general manager Ian Wilmot said the call was to a boat about five kilometres east of Napier Port, an estimated trip time of up to 30 minutes for a rescue craft putting to sea.
The helicopter flew to the area and lowered the paramedic into the water, from where he swam to the boat and began resuscitation, which continued after the patient and the paramedic were transferred to the rescue craft as it made its way back to shore.
