Coastguard Whangamatā rescues 16 people from Whenuakura Island, Coromandel

A group of 16 people have been rescued from Whenuakura Island, one kilometre east of Whangamatā. Photo / 123rf

A group of 16 people were rescued from Whenuakura Island, one kilometre east of Whangamatā, after they got into trouble in three waka on Tuesday.

Coastguard Whangamatā volunteers responded to a call for help after three waka ama crews were stranded on the island at about 10.20am.

With the Whangamatā Surf Life Saving Club, Coastguard Whangamatā's GJ Gardener Rescue retrieved the 16 from the island and returned them safe, “albeit cold and wet”, to shore about 11.40am, Coastguard Tautiaki Moana senior communications adviser Ben Parsons said in a statement.

They were able to retrieve one of the waka but not the others.

Coastguard Whangamatā duty officer Ross Falconer said it was a “fantastic result” and highlighted collaboration between Coastguard and the surf club.

“With everyone wearing lifejackets, we were quickly able to get all 16 ashore and get them warmed up with blankets and a hot drink at our base.

“Once all persons were accounted for, volunteers retrieved one waka, while the other weren’t able to be saved.”

Falconer said the waka ama group were in training when they ran into trouble.

All 16 were in the water for more than 30 minutes and managed to get themselves on shore where they phoned for help, he said.

“They were cold and wet; they had probably been in the water over 30 minutes.”

The Coastguard was called and contacted the surf club to assist, Falconer said.

Whangamatā launched an inflatable rescue boat (IRB) which made several trips, taking the group back to Whangamatā where they were given food, hot drinks and debriefed, he said.

A Surf Lifesaving New Zealand statement said three waka ama crews found themselves in trouble after they paddled into the island’s lagoon where the waka ama had broken up.

Andrew Hodgson, Whangamatā Search and Rescue Squad co-coordinator, said: “We deployed an inflatable rescue boat with three crew members and made our way to the island.

“When we got to the entrance of the lagoon, there were some big swells coming in. We quickly assessed the patients who were in good spirits – just cold and wet. Thankfully, no one was injured.”

The lifeguards transported the patients to a waiting Coastguard vessel, which took them back to Whangamatā wharf.

One of the waka ama was able to be towed back to shore by Coastguard; however, the other vessels remain inside the island.

Surf Lifesaving New Zealand said lifeguards from Whangamatā had seen an uptick in rescues at Whenuakura Island in recent years, with at least 16 incidents during the 2023/24 patrol season.

Hodgson said the incident served as a reminder to not underestimate the conditions.

“Reading the conditions can be difficult, and things can change very quickly. In this situation, it might have looked good from shore, but a metre easterly swell does push into the lagoon, and as the entrance narrows, the swell gets higher.”

Hodgson also reiterated that if watergoers find themselves in trouble or if anyone is seen to be in trouble and surf lifeguards are not on patrol, call 111 and ask for police.

Whenuakura Island is also known as Donut Island because it is round with a collapsed blowhole in the middle. It is a privately owned island so people can visit as long as they don’t go ashore. It was becoming increasingly popular as a tourist destination for independent boaties and kayakers and as a location for guided kayak tours.

It is one of three islands in the Whangamatā Islands group that are wildlife sanctuaries, with the owners keen to bring back the native flora and fauna to the way it was.

It is classified as a wildlife sanctuary under the Wildlife Act administered by the Department of Conservation and the Kaitiaki (guardians).

The conditions of the sanctuary, put in place to protect the flora and fauna, meant no landing or climbing was permitted on Whenuakura.