You pay if stupidity triggers rescue, says Queenstown harbourmaster

The Kawarau River rapids were the scene of a rescue on Sunday night. Photo / Chris Atkinson

Queenstown's harbourmaster and a rescue helicopter pilot say people who need rescuing due to their "own stupidity" should have to pay.

Harbourmaster Marty Black hit out at people not fronting up after being rescued, following the rescue of two men caught in rapids as they headed out on the Kawarau River on an inflatable mattress on Sunday night.

Black said he refused to send someone out on a jetski when the call came in about 9.30pm, saying it was too dangerous.

A helicopter and search and rescue crew were used instead, rescuing the pair about 11pm.

The men, one from Queenstown and one from Dunedin, put not only themselves but also their rescuers at risk, Black said. "It's an area just below Dog Leg Rapids - you don't want to be playing around there in the dark."

The harbourmaster said he was "dead against" the public having to foot the bill for rescues when those needing rescue were at fault.

"I'm not saying we shouldn't go and rescue them, but they need to take responsibility for their actions."

He said the cost of getting a helicopter up for a search and rescue mission was about $2000 an hour.

His comments have been backed by Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust chief pilot Graeme Gale, who said he did not think taxpayers should be left with the cost.

"If it's your stupidity that put you in that situation, if you were doing something that was ridiculous, you should have to pay."

Coastguard New Zealand chief executive Patrick Holmes shared their frustration, but said Coastguard had no plans to start charging people who needed rescuing.

"If it's a search and rescue operation where lives are at risk, we will do our best to rescue them, and there won't be a charge," he said.

Holmes said Coastguard did charge in situations where lives were not at risk - for example, if someone ran out of petrol while boating on a lake and had to be helped to shore.

It cost $400 every time a Coastguard boat was launched, he said.

Police also said there were no plans to charge.

They said police had a "statutory obligation to provide Search and Rescue services as part of their normal business, and are funded to do so".

"Cost is never a factor over the safety and welfare of those needing assistance ... and does not influence operational decision-making," a spokeswoman said.

Sunday night's rescue came hours after an Indian tourist suffered a medical event on a KJet boat on Lake Wakatipu about 5pm, and later died.

Black said the incident was "quite a tragedy", and said KJet staff did "extremely well" under the circumstances.