Stricken boaties rescued by surfers in Canterbury

The overturned craft in the surf on Kairaki Beach this afternoon. Photo: George Heard/ NZ Herald
The overturned craft in the surf on Kairaki Beach this afternoon. Photo: George Heard/ NZ Herald
Surfers have rescued two cold and exhausted boaties after a vessel flipped crossing a bar on the Canterbury coast.

The alarm was raised after the small aluminium craft overturned at Kairaki Beach, north of Christchurch, about 12.20pm today. 

Surfers at the beach came to their aid, plucking them from the water and ferrying them to shore.

One of the rescuers, who did not want to be named, said the pair were tired when they got to shore.

“They were just crossing the bar and the boat just went sideways and it just capsized.

“We just got them on our boards and made sure that they were all rescued and pulled the boat in.

“They were exhausted and pretty cold.”

A police spokesperson said a boat capsized but all on board made it back to shore safely.

A St John ambulance spokesperson said they were notified of a boating incident in Waimakariri and sent two ambulances to the scene.

“We assessed and treated two patients with minor injuries at the scene."

The upturned craft was left on the shore while the boaties were treated.