Capsize – 01/15/2015 – 7:40 to

Harbour Superintendant reported that a 4.7m boat with 2 POB had capsized on Whakatane Bar.  Conditions were moderate with 1.5m swell from NE. The people in the water were rescued by surfboarders who were surfing near the bar. The Harbour Superintendant picked up the rescued persons from the surfers and delivered them to the jetty.  Whakatane Rescue was tasked to try and recover the overtured boat which had meanwhile drifted west along the coast to Coastlands. Attempts were made to right the boat but were unsuccessful.  The boat was towed into shallow water west of the bar and released to drift into the beach from where it was later recovered.