Coastguard rescues man who lost index finger on boat in Bay of Island

Doves Bay in the Bay of Islands. A Coastguard crew from the area went to the aid of a man on a boat who lost a finger on Friday night. Photo / File.

A man has been rescued from a boat in the Bay of Islands after his index finger was cut off.

A person in another boat made a mayday call just after 8.30 last night, and also gave first aid.

Coastguard Duty officer Nico Doodeman says a helicopter was arranged, but in the end a medivac via sea was chosen as the best option.

Bay Rescue 2 - the volunteer crew based at Doves Bay - was paged out urgently and the man and his wife were taken to a waiting ambulance at Russell.

Doodeman praised a member of the public who helped the man.

The person - on another boat - made a mayday call just after 8.30pm and applied first aid to the man.

Coastguard also rescued a couple whose runabout hit rocks near the entrance to Gulf Harbour last night.