A small boat with two men on board overturned in heavy surf near the mouth of the Greymouth River this afternoon.
At about 12.25pm the pair were thrown into the water but the boat righted itself. The men climbed back aboard and attempted to bail out the water but were overturned again.
Both were in the water for about 40 minutes. A 64-year-old was semi-hypothermic and had cuts to his leg. The other man (52) was cold with a sore shoulder. Neither required hospital treatment.
Two younger men were body-boarding nearby and, at the request of the attending police, they swam to the boaties and helped keep them afloat until rescue arrived.
The boaties were wearing lifejackets and had a marine radio. "They were well-equipped but in the wrong place" a police spokesperson said.
Greymouth Police were delighted with the response of the public. Several people phoned police and the Coastguard and provided valuable information.
The two body-boarders were instrumental in this rescue and helped keep the boaties calm while waiting. Other locals helped by providing binoculars to the police and others pulled the upturned boat to shore and secured it.
"This was a community response that helped keep these men alive and recovered their boat and property," police said.
