Six paddlers rescued after waka flips at Tūtūkākā

The Coastguard vessel Tūtūkākā Rescue at its berth in Tūtūkākā Harbour. Photo / Alan Squires

Six paddlers were rescued by Coastguard when their waka flipped in rough waters near the entrance to Tūtūkākā Harbour on Thursday evening.

The alarm was raised just before 7pm with a member of the public reporting a capsized waka with six people in the water at Kowharewa Bay.

Coastguard Tūtūkākā skipper Keith McKay and three volunteers were at their base for training so they were able to respond immediately with the vessel Tūtūkākā Rescue.

Shortly afterwards the location was updated to just outside Tūtūkākā Harbour, in an area experiencing 25-knot winds and increasing swells.

When they arrived at the scene the Coastguard volunteers found six people holding onto the waka in the water.

All were wearing lifejackets but the waka was drifting towards rocks, so all six were quickly brought on board the rescue vessel and returned unharmed to shore.

McKay said by then the waka was only about 100m from the rocks.

“It was fortunate we were able to get to them just 13 minutes after being paged,” he said.

He commended the paddlers for wearing personal floatation devices and holding onto the waka, ensuring they were safe until help arrived.