Shipwrecked man's missing dog found

A rescue boat nears the hull of the stricken vessel off Port Jackson, at the tip of Coromandel peninsula. Picture / Dean Purcell

Emergency services have found a dog almost given up for dead after the boat it was on sank yesterday.

Ali the border collie was found this morning at Ross Bay on Great Barrier Island, in the Hauraki Gulf, along with the wreckage of the boat.

The 30-foot launch got into trouble at near Port Jackson off the Coromandel Peninsula yesterday afternoon and a man was winched to safety, but his dog was unable to be rescued.

This morning members of the public found Ali but it is not known if the dog swam to shore or was swept in with the wreckage. The Coastguard says the dog is cold and wet and will undergo a vet check.

Emergency services and eight private boaties rushed to Port Jackson, off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, after learning the man's boat was sinking yesterday afternoon.

Senior Constable Steve Phillips, from the police maritime unit, said a Great Barrier radio channel picked up a mayday call from the 49-year-old just after 3pm. He said water was coming in at the bow of his 28ft launch.

It is understood he only had enough time to grab a lifejacket before his communications cut out and the boat started sinking.

At the time of the call it was believed the man, who lives on Waiheke Island, was about three miles off Port Jackson.

While two coastguard boats and the private boats made their way to the last known position of the sinking launch, the police Eagle helicopter and Westpac Rescue searched by air.

At 4.50pm the Westpac crew spotted the man about a mile northwest of Channel Island.

He was clinging to the submerged hull of the boat and started waving upon seeing the chopper.

Pilot Steve Barham said the man was cold and "very relieved" to be rescued. He was winched to safety and flown to Auckland City Hospital for a checkup.

Mr Barham said the man spoke of a fully grown border collie that had been on board with him.

The dog had last been seen about an hour and a half before the rescue, but was nowhere in sight when help arrived.

Attempts to tow the submerged vessel back to land were also unsuccessful and the launch remains at sea.