Lake Taupō paddleboarder rescue: Police issue warning after wind blows man 5km out on lake

A paddleboarder was rescued 5km from his departure point on Lake Taupō. Photos / NZ Police

Police are urging water goers to make sure they are properly prepared after rescuing a paddleboarder blown 5km out on Lake Taupō.

“It’s a classic example of the unexpected happening,” Senior Constable Barry Shepherd said in a statement this morning.

The man in his 60s was last seen paddling off Waitetoko Beach on his paddleboard, heading towards Motutaiko Island about 11am yesterday.

By 3.50pm, the man’s sister raised the alarm and police, the harbourmaster, and Coastguard volunteers from Taupō and Tūrangi scrambled into action.

A paddleboarder was rescued 5km from his departure point on Lake Taupō. Photos / NZ Police

With no lifejacket, no personal locator beacon, and no phone a plane was sent up to try to find the man.

“We found him about 6pm, 5km from his departure point, in the water holding on to the back of his board,” Shepherd said.

The plane directed the harbourmaster and Coastguard to the man and he was taken back to shore.

Shepherd said the man easily could have died in the lake.

“Because of the wind, he would’ve been blown right the way across the lake to the shoreline about 12km away… he wouldn’t have been able to stop it.”

A paddleboarder was rescued 5km from his departure point on Lake Taupō. Photos / NZ Police

Anyone going on the water, no matter their skill level, needed to take basic precautions to keep themselves safe, he said.

“At the least, the bare minimum you need to do is wear a lifejacket on the water.

“Take some form of waterproof container to put your phone in – and put that in your lifejacket so you can use it if the worst happens. Even better, take a personal locator beacon and keep that in your lifejacket.”

“Everybody thinks ‘it won’t happen to me’, when they should be thinking ‘what if it does?’.”