Three rescued after yacht capsized off Bank Peninsula

Blue Arrow Rescue returning to base after the callout. Photos: supplied/coastguard

Three men were rescued from a capsized boat in two-metre swells off Banks Peninsula on Sunday afternoon.

One of the three men made a distress call just after 1pm, saying their engine had failed and they had been pushed onto rocks at Little Akaloa Heads.

The three men abandoned the vessel, and the group split up as two tried to make their way around the cliff, while the other one stayed closer to the stricken vessel.

The upturned hull of the capsized boat can be seen in the red circle.

Coastguard volunteers and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter responded to the call.

Coastguard Sumner Blue Arrow Rescue Skipper Anthony Honeybone said seven volunteers were on the water within 15 minutes.

He said the two men were rescued off the rocks, and were "shaken up and cold, but fine".

The tracks of the rescue vessels. The incident site was at the sharp bend in the orange line near the Heads.

The third man was winched into the helicopter and taken back to shore. He was also uninjured.

Honeybone said the rescue took place against strong 20-knot winds and rough swells, but they did the right thing by calling for help when they did.

"It's a good thing to just make sure your boat is in good working order, and you're experienced for the conditions you're going out in. Anyone can break down, it happens to the best of us."

Coastguard Sumner's Hamilton Jet Rescue was also sent out, but stood down when the men were rescued.