Seven treated in Coromandel water incident, one still missing

Emergency services have treated seven people after a water incident at a Coromandel beach, with one person in a critical condition airlifted to hospital.

A spokesperson for St John Ambulance said three helicopters, three ambulances and two managers responded to the incident at Opoutrere Beach.

The critical patient was airlifted to Waikato Hospital and another person in a moderate condition was taken to Thames Hospital. Three other people are in a minor condition.

Earlier, a witness at the scene of the water incident earlier said there were fears people are still missing at sea, while one person lay in a critical condition on the beach.

The person who is holidaying at Opoutere Beach said five or six people got into trouble in the water about 12pm.

St John received a call to Opoutere Beach on Ohui Rd about 11.27am.

A number of people were rescued from the water and brought to shore, but emergency services were searching for others.

He said an older man had been receiving CPR for at least 40 minutes but was unresponsive.

“Then there is a younger man who is unresponsive but conscious.”

At least five helicopters are responding to the emergency - two from Auckland and three from Waikato.

The witness said two helicopters and surf lifeguards were searching for the missing people and at least two rescue helicopters were also on the beach alongside St John, Fire and Emergency, police and lifeguards.

Police received a report that a number of people were in difficulty in the water about 11.30am.

At least one person is reported to be in a critical condition, police said in a statement.

More information will be provided when it becomes available, police said.

Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter confirmed the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was at the scene and would have more information as the situation develops.

An Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter spokesperson said two aircraft had been tasked to a water-related incident involving multiple people in the water.

Surf Lifesaving NZ have been approached for comment.

Opoutere Beach is about 20 km north of Whangamatā, on the eastern seaboard of Coromandel Peninsula.

Today’s emergency comes less than 24 hours after a man went missing in the water in Whangamatā on Tuesday.

A police spokesperson said emergency services responded to a report of a man missing near the estuary, shortly after 6pm.

A rescue helicopter found him but he was unable to be revived.