When high waves tipped three mates out of their boat on a recent fishing trip in Port Waikato, the quick thinking of Southern Emergency Communications Centre call taker Brooke McDermott and combined efforts of a team from across Tāmaki Makaurau brought them safely back.
The trio had checked weather reports before heading out over Labour Day weekend and had all the necessary safety equipment with them. But then they ended up overboard with their now-empty boat circling them in the water and the motor still running…
In the video above, two of the rescued boaties and members of the team that saved them tell their story.