Being prepared almost certainly saved a rock fisherman's life at Piha.
Police were contacted at 7.43am on Wednesday by a fisherman advising one of his companions had fallen into water at The Gap.
Acting Senior Sergeant Mark Jamieson says the Police Maritime Unit took over incident control of the water rescue.
"The Police Eagle helicopter deployed over South Piha, and soon caught sight of the fisherman, and the crew could see he was well prepared," he says.
"He had been fishing with a lifejacket on, and another fisherman had thrown an emergency life ring out to him."
Meanwhile, Police Maritime Unit had called out Surf Life Saving NZ at Piha.
Acting Senior Sergeant Jamieson says Eagle kept watch from above while an IRB was heading to the location.
"Although he was struggling in the current, the devices were doing a good job at keeping him afloat while help was on the way."
The man was soon uplifted and brought back to shore.
First responders are praising the event, as the fisherman walked away safe and well.
"Time and time again we have seen these stories end in a tragedy, and these rescue responses turn into recovery missions," acting Senior Sergeant Jamieson says.
"This is a story where things were done correctly; the man was prepared and wearing a lifejacket and there were people equipped with a phone so that they could call for help."
Acting Senior Sergeant Jamieson acknowledges the various resources involved.
"There was good collaboration between Northern Emergency Communication and Dispatch, Police Maritime Unit, the Police Eagle helicopter and Surf Life Saving NZ which brought about a prompt rescue."
Surf Life Saving New Zealand GM - Northern Region, Zac Franich says the outcome highlights the importance of wearing the appropriate safety equipment when rock fishing, particularly a life jacket.
"This is a really positive outcome, and the fact the fisherman was wearing a lifejacket made a critical difference," he says.
"When people are swept into the water while rock fishing, conditions can change very quickly. A lifejacket helps keep you afloat, conserves energy and buys crucial time for rescuers to reach you. Were it not for the lifejacket, we could very easily have been reporting on a fatal drowning."
