A navy ship came to the rescue of an injured boatie as his yacht took on water in Cook Strait last night, just hours after another person had been medically evacuated from the boat. 

Just how two rescues were required for the same boat in the space of one day is not yet fully clear. The resulting response involved multiple agencies, including the New Zealand Defence Force, police and the coastguard. 

The saga began on Wednesday evening when a mayday call was put out about an unwell person on the 11-metre yacht the Boxing Kangaroo, which was about seven nautical miles (13km) southeast of Cape Palliser in Wairarapa. 

The Wellington Volunteer Coastguard launched its Spirit of Wellington rescue boat about 8.30pm after being tasked by police. 

“This was a big job for our crew, who returned safely home, handed the rescued sailor over to Wellington Free Ambulance paramedics and washed the boat down at 4am,” the coastguard said on social media. 

“The eight-hour trip, covering roughly 82 nautical miles all up, demonstrates the commitment our volunteers have to saving lives at sea and our capacity to do so.” 

It’s understood the skipper of the yacht assured rescuers that he was fine to sail back to Wellington alone. However, things soon took a turn for the worse as evening approached. 

The Royal New Zealand Navy’s HMNZS Taupo had been near Cape Palliser on Thursday afternoon when it responded to calls on maritime radio to locate the Boxing Kangaroo. The mayday call came in shortly before 6pm. 

“A mayday was triggered when the vessel was reported to be taking on water and the sailor was unsure of the yacht’s location,” HMNZS Taupo’s commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Toby Mara, said. 

Navy crew members rescued the skipper off the yacht late last night. 

Police also told the Herald that the skipper had reported an injury over the second mayday call, though it is not known how, or the nature of the injury. 

A multi-agency search was launched, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s P-8A Poseidon aircraft was able to pinpoint the boat during an aerial search last night. 

The Poseidon was brought in after initial searches for the yacht were unsuccessful. 

“At 10.22pm, crew on the P-8A located the vessel and HMNZS Taupo immediately made way to the yacht, about 40 minutes’ sail away,” Mara said. 

“Shortly before midnight, the sailor was rescued by navy personnel on a sea boat and taken to safety on board HMNZS Taupo.”