A rock fisherman was pulled from the water at Piha’s Gap on Wednesday morning after a lifejacket and a thrown life ring kept him afloat long enough for rescuers to reach him.

Police were called at 7.43am by one of the man’s companions. Acting Senior Sergeant Mark Jamieson said the Police Maritime Unit took control of the rescue, with the Eagle helicopter quickly locating the man off South Piha.

“He had been fishing with a lifejacket on, and another fisherman had thrown an emergency life ring out to him,” Jamieson said.

Surf Life Saving NZ at Piha launched an IRB while Eagle kept eyes on from above. “Although he was struggling in the current, the devices were doing a good job at keeping him afloat while help was on the way,” Jamieson said.

The IRB crew uplifted the man and brought him back to shore. He walked away safe.

“Time and time again we have seen these stories end in a tragedy, and these rescue responses turn into recovery missions,” Jamieson said. “This is a story where things were done correctly; the man was prepared and wearing a lifejacket and there were people equipped with a phone so that they could call for help.”

Jamieson acknowledged the coordinated response between Northern Emergency Communication and Dispatch, the Police Maritime Unit, the Eagle helicopter and Surf Life Saving NZ.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand’s GM – Northern Region, Zac Franich, said the outcome underlined the value of wearing a lifejacket when rock fishing. “This is a really positive outcome, and the fact the fisherman was wearing a lifejacket made a critical difference,” he said. “When people are swept into the water while rock fishing, conditions can change very quickly. A lifejacket helps keep you afloat, conserves energy and buys crucial time for rescuers to reach you. Were it not for the lifejacket, we could very easily have been reporting on a fatal drowning.”