Coastguard North Canterbury rescues five boaties from ‘harrowing’ experience on Motunau Bar

Coastguard North Canterbury was called out to a rescue on the Motunau Bar last night. Photo / Coastguard NZ

Five boaties were pounded with three-metre-high waves after a disastrous attempt to cross the Motunau Bar, north of Kaiapoi, requiring a Coastguard rescue.

The boat was swamped with water and its fuel tanks were thrown overboard after it was struck by a large wave during the crossing.

It managed to turn around and anchor approximately 400m offshore in rocky conditions between Motunau Island and the Motunau Bar.

The vessel continued to be pounded by the 3m waves, which led to a passenger being swept into the water.

The other four safely pulled them out of the water and back into the boat.

At approximately 5pm last night, police were alerted after a boat was spotted in trouble near Motunau Beach.

A faint mayday distress call was heard on VHF radio about three hours later.

The passengers also used a cellphone, a Personal Locator Beacon and an Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon to call for help.

At approximately 8.45 pm, five volunteers from Coastguard North Canterbury on the Kaiapoi Rescue vessel safely rescued all five stranded boaties.

The Coastguard North Canterbury vessel Kaiapoi Rescue was called out to an incident on the Motunau Bar last night. Photo / Coastguard NZ

They brought them into the Coastguard rescue vessel’s cabin and started to warm them up with blankets and heat pads to slowly bring their body temperatures back up.

Coastguard North Canterbury successfully rescued five passengers who became stranded on the Motunau Bar. Photo / Coastguard NZ

Unit president Kevin Bryce said the boaties had all the right communications gear and were wearing lifejackets during the “harrowing and concerning incident”.

“The boaties couldn’t believe we were able to get there and rescue them in such poor conditions,” Bryce said.

“We have a standard operating procedure in place for bar crossings at night, which involves marking our position with a flare. Due to proximity with Christchurch International Airport, this has to be co-ordinated very carefully.”

The operation involved teams from Maritime New Zealand radio, the Rescue Co-ordination Centre New Zealand, Police Search and Rescue, local police, Hato Hone St John and Christchurch International Airport.

The group of five were safely brought back to shore by volunteers, where two Hato Hone St John ambulances were waiting to treat them.

One person was taken to hospital with injuries and three others were treated for hypothermia.