Auckland police rescue hypothermic kayaker after Waitematā Harbour fall

A man was rescued from the Waitematā Harbour last night after he fell from his kayak and spent two hours in the water. Photo / 123RF

After falling out of his kayak and spending two hours in the waters of Waitematā Harbour, a hypothermic man was rescued by police overnight.

Police received a report at 3.40 am this morning that two men had fallen into the water as they were making their way to a moored boat, one of whom was quickly caught in the currents of the outgoing tide.

The other man contacted police two hours later from on board the boat.

Senior Sergeant Garry Larsen QSM of the Marine Rescue Centre said the report had taken a “concerningly” long time and there was little additional information about the delay.

When the Police Eagle helicopter crew were alerted to the unfolding incident, they quickly started to search the harbour, eventually finding the empty kayaks as they headed further out.

The man was located as he was being pulled by the tide about a kilometre from the coast.

“It wasn’t clear if the man was even alive, he wasn’t moving and his body heat was minimal but, thankfully, there were small signs of life when they put the spotlight on him and called out over the PA”, Larsen said.

An Eagle helicopter kept an eye on the man and helped guide the Auckland Maritime Unit to him, a team which Sergeant Craig Kennedy was a part of.

He said the kayaker could “barely move or talk” when he helped pull him from the water at 4.40 am.

The “seriously hypothermic” man was taken to the Te Atatu Boat club to be seen by advanced paramedics, and then on to hospital.

He was in a serious condition, with Kennedy noting his life had been saved by the speed of the rescue and the life jacket keeping him afloat.

“When you’re responding to those circumstances, it’s not often that you get a positive outcome like this”, Kennedy said.

“He’s a very lucky guy, it was a cold night – about 6 degrees – and he was in the water for a very long time."

Senior Sergeant Larsen said everyone who had been part of the rescue effort “should be proud”.

“Everybody kicked into action to save this guy’s life, and we even had the Northland Rescue Helicopter on the way in case we needed to widen the search.”

The other kayaker was also taken to hospital in a moderate condition.