Emergency services called to beach incidents

Emergency services attended a sudden death at Uretiti Beach yesterday. Photo / John Stone

The death of man who died on Uretiti Beach was one of two coastal emergencies in Northland.

Emergency services and officials from the Department of Conservation were called to the beach, about 2km south of the Tip Rd end, about 4pm yesterday after reports of a man suffering from a suspected cardiac arrest.

It's understood St John paramedics tried to revive the man, who was with family members, but were unsuccessful. The man was not swimming when he fell ill.

Northland coroner Brandt Shortland has been informed of the death.

It was one of two incidents emergency services attended to at Northland beaches yesterday. A Bay of Islands man was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition after he was pulled from the water at Te Puna Inlet.

Reports that a man was in trouble about 2.30pm sparked a major rescue operation involving members of the public, police, St John Ambulance, Kerikeri Fire Brigade, Coastguard, Russell Radio and the rescue helicopter. Senior Sergeant Chris McLellan, of Kerikeri police, said the 52-year-old was unresponsive when he was found by members of the public, including family members, and rushed by boat to Dove's Bay Marina.

There he was treated by an advanced paramedic and flown to Whangarei by the Northland Electricity Rescue Helicopter.

"There was some excellent work done by the people who went to his aid and located him," he said.

Three off-duty police officers, who were in a launch in the bay, also took part in the rescue. A St John spokesman said the man had swallowed a lot of water, was hypothermic and unconscious.