Teens rescued after boat capsizes in Bay of Plenty

Local firefighters and the coast guard were taking two jet skis out to search for the people. Photo / iStock

Three teenagers have been plucked out of the surf of a popular Bay of Plenty beach this evening, after their boat rolled on a sand bar.

The trio got into trouble when their 12-foot aluminium boat capsized on the bar near Pukehina Beach, Maketu.

They've now been fished from the water and are being assessed by paramedics.

Six Coastguard Maketu volunteers and six firefighters were involved in the rescue, that began about 7.20.

"They've mucked up coming over the bar and they went upside down and they've managed to hang on to their drifting boat," Coastguard Maketu president Shane Beech said.

"It drifted about 200 or 300 metres off shore."

The coast guard reached the teens by using two jet skis and another man in the area assisted in his boat too.

Everyone's back on shore now.

"Our big tip to people unfamiliar with the area is check it out at low tide so they can define where the channel is," Mr Beech said.

It had been a busy holiday period at Maketu. Today the coastguard had two calls for the help, the other one coming from a swimmer stuck in a rip. They managed to get back to shore safely.

Earlier, a Fire Service spokesman said it was possible a fourth person was in the water too.