February 6, 2019
Four people have been taken to hospital after five separate incidents at Auckland beaches.
Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust spokesman Lincoln Davies, said a boy suffered a medical complaint on a boat at Maraetai beach, south Auckland.
St John spokeswoman Ngaire Jones said paramedics were called to the scene about 1.30pm on Wednesday, and a patient was transported to Middlemore Hospital.
Davies said the helicopter was re-tasked to another incident and the boy was taken to hospital by ambulance in a moderate condition.
In a separate incident, emergency services were called to Mathesons Bay Beach in Leigh, north of Auckland.
Davies said a woman in her 20s had been taken to Auckland City Hospital in a serious condition.
A police spokeswoman said officers were called to the incident just before 2pm, while Fire and Emergency NZ spokesman Daniel Nicholson said firefighters responded in a "medical capacity".
Just after 5pm emergency services were sent to Anawhata beach in West Auckland after another water incident.
A police spokeswoman said a person had been taken out of the water and taken to hospital.
Emergency services were also tasked to Hamilton's Gap in Awhitu, south Auckland, to assist a teenage boy who had also suffered a near-drowning.
A police spokeswoman said a group of young people had been swimming at the beach when they began to struggle and three people were rescued and returned to shore.
Davies said the teenage boy was pulled from the water by his friends and flown to Middlemore Hospital in a serious condition.
At 8pm, a helicopter was tasked to Karekare to assist two people caught in a rip, Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust spokesman Lincoln Davies said.
They were stood down en route, however, and returned to base.
Earlier in the week, a man in his 30s died after a drowning incident at Goat Island.
