Man Rescued After Clinging to Kayak in Waitematā Harbour for Hours A man was rescued from near-death after spending more than two hours in the frigid waters of Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour, police confirmed. The incident occurred in the early hours of Anzac Day when two men capsized their kayaks while heading to a moored boat. One man reached the boat and raised the alarm, but the other was swept away by the outgoing tide. Police received the emergency call at 3:40am on Saturday. The Police Eagle helicopter crew responded immediately, searching the harbour before locating the empty kayaks and the man about a kilometre from the coast. Despite showing minimal movement and extremely low body heat, rescuers detected small signs of life when they shone a spotlight on him and called out over the public address system. The helicopter crew maintained visual contact while guiding the Auckland Maritime Unit to the man’s location. Sergeant Craig Kennedy of the Maritime Unit helped pull the man from the water at 4:40am. Kennedy described the man as “seriously hypothermic,” noting he could barely move or talk when brought aboard the rescue vessel. The man’s life jacket played a critical role in keeping him afloat during his ordeal in water estimated to be around 6 degrees Celsius. After being retrieved, he was taken to waiting paramedics at the Te Atatu Boat Club before being transported to hospital in serious condition. His companion, who had reached the boat, was also picked up and taken to hospital in moderate condition. Senior Sergeant Garry Larsen of the Marine Rescue Centre praised the coordinated response involving multiple emergency services, stating the successful outcome was due to the combined efforts of all teams involved. He emphasized that the man was “very lucky” to have been found quickly on such a cold night.
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