Police are praising boaties for safe use of equipment after their boat started to fill up with water.
About 8am this morning police and Coastguard were told of an 18ft boat in distress.
The boat had a split hull and was taking on water rapidly about 5 kilometres out to sea off the Opotiki Bar. There were four people on board.
Eastern Bay of Plenty police search and rescue co-ordinator Senior Sergeant Bruce Jenkins said the boat had VHF radio contact with the Coastguard but contact was in jeopardy of being lost as the boat filled up with water and the battery was becoming submerged.
The safety equipment available to the crew meant they were able to raise the alarm and get an immediate response from the Opotiki Coastguard.
A Whakatane Coastguard Rescue vessel was also sent to help the rescue.
The Rescue Co-ordination Centre was notified and immediately put a distress call out over the emergency marine radio channel 16 to alert and seek assistance from other vessels in the area.
A local boat called Big Red was able to respond and managed to get to the distressed vessel and rescue the four crew just prior to it sinking.
This was assisted by the crew of the distressed vessel setting off two flares to attract their attention and pinpoint their own location.
The crew were then transferred to the Opotiki Rescue craft shortly afterwards.
Mr Jenkins said the sea conditions were favourable and calm at the time.
He sais he was full of praise for the skipper and rescued crew.
"They had several items of safety equipment on board which meant an immediate response and effective rescue. This included all crew having life-jackets and a cell phone, and there was VHF radio and flares on board. They basically took the word 'search' out of 'search and rescue' which is always going to help save your life."