Low-speed boat chase off Napier beach ends in two arrests

Police and the Coastguard head back to shore after making the arrests on Thursday afternoon, with the inflatable boat in tow. Photo / Paul Taylor

A low-speed boat chase off a Napier beach has ended with two arrests.

Two people appeared to try to escape from police on an inflatable boat during a bizarre incident on Thursday afternoon.

A police spokesperson said the pair on the boat - including one with an active warrant - were arrested during the incident with the help of the Coastguard.

A witness said there were police officers and even a police dog on the waterfront near Spriggs Park at Ahuriri about 1.30pm, looking out at the inflatable boat roughly 150m from shore.

He said the boat was making slow progress and a man on board appeared to be trying to “paddle to sea”.

The witness said about 1.45pm he saw the Coastguard boat “loaded with police” and even a police dog approaching the smaller vessel.

Both people were taken onto the Coastguard boat and arrested.