A Dunedin club has scooped a regional surf life-saving award
following a dramatic rescue last month.
Each month, Surf Life Saving New Zealand chooses a winning
rescue in each region, with the St Clair Surf Life Saving
Club winning the award for the southern region during
February.
The February 2 rescue was prompted following reports a 5m
alloy boat with three men on board was drifting towards
cliffs between St Clair and Tunnel Beach after its main and
auxiliary motors failed.
Two inflatable rescue boats (IRBs) were dispatched to the
scene and, after liaising with Otago Maritime Radio, one of
the IRB crew rescued an injured man.
The Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter was able to winch the
injured crewman off the rocks and transport him to Dunedin
Hospital.
Lifeguards were also able to successfully negotiate the rocks
and surf and get the boat owner to the waiting second IRB,
while the third member of the boat, who was diving for paua
at the time of the incident, was found by the crew of a third
rescue boat.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand chairman Michael Bassett-Foss
said the extraordinary efforts shown by the lifeguards were
outstanding.
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