Rescuers glad diver who nearly died at Pātaua in Northland is all right

Alex Hunter, 18 (left), and Amelia Mitchell, 17, were glad they and their boat were in the right place at the right time to save Potoz Morunga Rudolph at Pātaua.

A Whangārei teenager is glad the diver she and her boyfriend helped save from a fatal drowning at Pātaua on Saturday afternoon has recovered from the ordeal.

Potoz Morunga Rudolph suffered from low oxygen and water on the lungs from the incident, which started when her weight belt slipped from her waist and got caught on the knife strapped to her ankle.

While being pulled down by the weight belt, Morunga Rudolph also got stuck between the tide rapidly coming out of Pātaua Estuary and the waves crashing on Pātaua Bar.

But she was saved from the water by a young couple in their inflatable dingy: 17-year-old Amelia Mitchell from Whakapara and her boyfriend, 18-year-old Alex Hunter from Mangapai.

Mitchell said the pair went fishing that morning, in part because Hunter thought the weather was calm enough for him to attempt a crossing of the notorious Pātaua Bar.

After a successful trip - including freediving, fishing and seeing dolphins - the couple were heading back to the boat ramp when they saw a diver near the rocks pointing to another diver at the bar.

The first diver was Morunga Rudolph’s brother, who had heard her cries for help.

Mitchell said the couple initially thought he was simply alerting them to the fact Morunga Rudolph was there in the water.

“Then she started waving and screaming. I said to Alex, ‘we have to go and save her’.”

The couple motored towards Morunga Rudolph, with Mitchell reaching out for her arms, grabbing onto the flailing diver, who was purple by this stage.

“I’m only 17 so I was quite scared but I managed to hold it together because I knew that was the best for both of us.”

She held onto Morunga Rudolph for about 10 minutes until another boat and more people arrived to help get the diver aboard.

Potoz Morunga Rudolph (inset) is thankful to her rescuers but wants to warn of the dangers of Pātaua, after nearly dying from drowning at the edge of Pātaua Bar. Main photo / John Stone

Mitchell and Hunter then attempted to motor back to the boat ramp but, with the extra person on board, they were unable to power through the strong outgoing tide and ended up hitting a rock with their propeller.

Fortunately, they were able to push the boat into a safe area with the help of more bystanders.

Mitchell said a surfer helping out advised her to call an ambulance because of the risk of post-drowning effects on the lungs.

St John, police and Northland Emergency Services Trust’s rescue helicopter all ended up attending, with Morunga Rudolph being flown to hospital with dropping oxygen levels.

“It was quite good to see the helicopter because we knew that she would get to the hospital safe,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell was glad to read in the Northern Advocate that Morunga Rudolph was okay, in an article which highlighted the dangers of Pātaua and the risk of gear malfunctioning.

The 17-year-old dairy farmer said it was the first time she had saved someone’s life and she ended up feeling quite emotional on the day.

“I was glad that we were there at that time because I don’t think she would’ve lasted for another 10 minutes until the other boat came.”

Morunga Rudolph said she hoped to meet her rescuers in person to thank them, and she was grateful to the Northern Advocate for finding them.

“If they weren’t on the water, I wouldn’t be here.”

Morunga Rudolph said she is also anxious to get back in the water, as she didn’t want the incident to stop her from doing what she loves.

* This story has been updated to note it was a non-fatal drowning, not a near-drowning.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.