Windsurfers rescued after being swept 2km offshore in Taranaki

Two windsurfers got into trouble at the weekend. Photo / File

Two windsurfers who were swept almost 2km offshore in Taranaki have been rescued after what police say was a close call.

The alarm was raised shortly after 3pm on Sunday afternoon when emergency services received reports of two windsurfers caught in rough waters about 300m off the north Taranaki coast.

Senior sergeant Matt Prendergast said the two men were near the mouth of the Waitara River when one of them got into trouble.

They both ended up in strife when the other man tried to help, he said.

Sea conditions at the time were rough with large swells. There was also an outgoing tide with a high water flow coming from the river due to recent heavy rain.

Members of the public on shore spotted the pair in trouble and called emergency services as they were swept out to sea, Prendergast said.

Taranaki Police Search and Rescue called in the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter, Taranaki Surf Lifesaving, and Taranaki Coast Guard to help.

As they assembled, onlookers started to lose sight of the windsurfers due to the size
of the waves.

A surf lifesaving boat went out, and with guidance from the rescue helicopter, brought the pair back to shore around 4.15pm.

They had been swept about 1.9 km offshore.

Prendergast said the two men were experienced windsurfers and appeared to have all of the correct equipment, however they were not from the area.

"Thankfully no one was injured in the incident, but it serves as a timely reminder from police to check on local conditions and get advice from local windsurfers before getting into the water.

"Fortunately members of the public on shore were able to see the pair in trouble and did the right thing by calling police and remaining on scene, so emergency services had the best chance possible to locate and rescue the pair before it became dark."

The windsurfers would have unlikely made it back to land safely without
the combined efforts of the rescue operators involved, Prendergast said.

"It was a close call but a good result in the end."