Two Northlanders clambered on cliff face after boat smashed

The Black Rocks off Moturoa Island, from where two men whose boat smashed against rocks were rescued by Coastguard. Photo/Supplied

Two Northlanders spent a night on a cliff face before they were plucked to safety after their boat smashed against rocks.

The youths launched a 5m stabicraft boat from a private ramp on Te Puna Inlet in Kerikeri sometime on Friday afternoon and sent a message to their families about 8pm from Army Bay that they were returning.

A family member called Coastguard northern region at 11pm to say they haven't returned.

Coastguard operations centre duty officer Nico Doodeman said volunteers on-board Bay Rescue II started a search from the pair's last known position shortly before midnight until 4am on Saturday.

The search resumed later that morning with Coastguard Air Patrol from Ardmore to provide aerial search capabilities, as well as Bay Rescue II which also joined the search.

Coastguard focused on the area between Te Puna Inlet and Army Bay.

Doodeman said the air patrol spotted the men about 9.45am on one of the Black Rocks off Moturoa Island in the Bay of Islands — the same time as a member of the public sighted them.

When their boat smashed against rocks, he said the pair managed to stick together and made it to nearby rocks and climbed the cliff face.

Coastguard Bay of Islands' volunteers put a medic, food, water and other medical supplies ashore to assist with one of the young men who sustained moderate injuries and was winched to safety by the Northland Rescue Helicopter.

Doodeman said the intention of the two men, believed to be locals, when they took to the sea was known.

"Credit goes to them for having communications equipment and telling their family where they were going and when they planned to be back. It's this and their lifejackets that have made all the difference to the outcome which otherwise could have been much worse.

"The family was able to provide details on their last known location which dramatically reduces the search area for our assets and the time taken to locate the pair".

A friend of their family recovered the boat on Saturday.