Emergency crews rescuing two people had to come to the aid of a third who was taking photos of the incident.
Police were called about 8.30am to the Whiritoa blowhole in Coromandel today where two people got caught by the incoming tide and big surf.
One of them had a suspected broken leg.
But while that person was being winched out of the blowhole, a third person taking photos from the rocks got washed into the surf.
"While we were winching the injured man out of the blowhole we heard about someone else who was watching the rescue," Sergeant Bradley York said.
"He'd been taking photos from rocks nearby then been washed off into the surf.
"We had to divert away from the initial rescue, and shift to the more urgent situation where he was in the sea."
Rescue crews went back to the first scene to pick up the remaining man after winching the bystander from the water.
Police, Fire and Emergency, Surf Life Saving and the Auckland rescue helicopter all attended.
"This was a good reminder to members of the public to exercise caution near the sea - as conditions can change rapidly," York said.
