Boat sinks off Bethells Beach as fishermen make lucky escape. Video / Supplied
A quiet Sunday fishing trip turned into a near-death experience for three West Aucklanders after a shark ripped their inflatable boat, sparking a mayday call and dramatic rescue as the trio began sinking.
Ella Armitage, her dad Bruce and their friend Shane Phillips anchored off the coast of O'Neill beach,near Bethells Beach, around 8am.
A few hours later Bruce started reeling in a 4ft shark on his line. As the fish came to the surface its teeth, or the hook in its mouth, sliced open the side of the trio's IRB.
The shark, whose species is unknown, then broke free and "took off".
"Instantly the boat was fully deflated. We tried to hold it and pump more air into it but it was going down way too fast," Ella told the Herald.
They waited for about 20 minutes, soaking and cold in the mid-winter chill. Meanwhile the vessel was quickly submerging.
"We were still standing on it but the chilly bin was floating at our feet and the side that had the hole in it was almost totally underwater," said Ella.
"We all had wetsuits and hoodies but we were a bit soaked. Everything was floating around."
As the police chopper arrived the group set off another flare.
A boat on the horizon heading for Muriwai spotted the signal and came to the rescue.
"They pulled us onto their boat pretty quick," said Ella.
"We didn't lose a single piece of equipment. They took us and all our stuff and towed the boat back to shore."
Ella and Bruce Armitage, and Shane Phillips were rescued by another boat after sending an emergency flare. Photo / Supplied
By this point lifeguards had arrived and hauled the remnants of the IRB back to shore.
Police came to check on Ella, Bruce and Shane and miraculously none of them needed medical attention.
Ella said they are extremely thankful to the three men on the other boat for saving them.
