Two young men were found on a South Westland beach on Tuesday morning after being reported overdue from a fishing trip.
The pair had taken a jetski down the Moeraki River to set a craypot on Monday, but experienced a mechanical issue while crossing the river bar when the reverse button malfunctioned and the machine tossed them into the waves.
The two men were wearing lifejackets and managed to keep hold of the craypot and swim to shore, but the jetski disappeared out to sea — with their personal locator beacon on board.
When they had not returned by the agreed time of 9pm, worried friends raised the alarm.
A machine from Haast Helicopters set out on Tuesday morning, and found the men standing on the beach at the mouth of the Moeraki River, complete with a large "okay" and their names written in the sand — and the craypot.
Kotuku Surf Life Saving had earlier been dispatched as well but were turned back.
Further north, a Canterbury tramper, 30, set off his personal locator beacon in the vicinity of the Hokitika saddle, high in the Southern Alps on Monday.
Senior Sergeant Mark Kirkwood said a rescue helicopter was dispatched from Greymouth but poor weather prevented access.
A rescue helicopter from Canterbury attempted to reach the man but was also thwarted by the cloudy conditions, so field teams were instead dropped off either side of the divide, from where they made their way towards the beacon activation location.
Snr Sgt Kirkwood said the man was found on the Canterbury side of the divide and was uninjured, but conditions were "simply beyond his capability".
Earlier on Monday, a young boy was injured when he "took a tumble" at Roberts Point Track near Franz Josef.
A rescue helicopter was dispatched and winched the boy and his mother out for medical attention.
It is understood the boy and mother are New Zealand tourists. A field team was also on standby in case the helicopter was unable to get in.
The Haast volunteer fire brigade was called just after 10.20pm on Monday when a car rolled on the Jackson Bay Rd, close to Mussel Point.
Chief Fire Officer Adam Cowan said it was travelling north when it failed to make a corner, passing through a farm fence and rolling a couple of times before landing back on its wheels.
The two male occupants suffered minor injuries but the car was wrecked. St John ambulance staff and police also attended.
Hokitika volunteer fire crews were called to assist St John ambulance staff just after 4.22am on Tuesday. — Greymouth Star
By Meg Fulford
