File photo: Tasman Bay. Photo: RNZ / Tracy Neal
A teenager was rescued by emergency services yesterday afternoon after large swells pushed him out of the kayak and into the water.
Police received reports of a young man overdue after kayaking near Haulashore Island at 3.20pm yesterday.
He had earlier been paddling with a family member but was separated after falling into the water.
Deteriorating weather conditions hampered his efforts to swim to shore as he was swept out into Tasman Bay.
When he did not return to shore, family members raised the alarm.
The teenager then activated his personal locator beacon which gave emergency services an exact location.
Nelson Surf Lifesaving, Nelson Coastguard and the Nelson Harbour Master along with the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter coordinated by Police Search and Rescue all joined the response to bring the teen back home, Senior Sergeant Nathan Snell said.
"By having a personal locator beacon and lifejacket on him, we were able to head directly to him, only needing to search a small area in very trying conditions"
The teen was pulled aboard a Surf Lifesaving rescue boat about 4:10 pm.
"Without the beacon and lifejacket, we would likely have been searching all night and the outcome would very likely not have been as positive, I want to recognise the importance of being prepared when heading to sea.
"Check the weather and take two different forms of waterproof communication."
