Gisborne, 17 November 2025 - Coastguard Gisborne rescued two divers off Sponge Bay last night after they became separated from their dive boat, which was unable to retrieve them after its anchor broke and it experienced mechanical issues.
At approximately 7:20pm, Gisborne Lion Foundation Rescue departed base and arrived on scene within 10 minutes. Volunteers quickly located both divers in the water near Tuamotu Island off Kaiti Beach after they were spotted waving their arms and using a diver’s red safety sausage. Both were safely brought onboard.
Volunteers then proceeded to the broken-down vessel, which had drifted approximately 1.5 nautical miles offshore from where the divers were found. Conditions were calm in the bay, but a fresh north-easterly breeze was present. The crew offered assistance and towed the vessel back to shore.
Aaron Boyle, President of Coastguard Gisborne, said:
"With light beginning to fade, time was of the essence to prevent the situation from escalating. A massive thank you to all our volunteers - both on shore and on the water - for ensuring the dive group was reunited and safely brought back to land. Thanks also to Police for their shore-based support."
"With summer approaching, this is a timely reminder to always carry two forms of waterproof communication, as mobile coverage can sometimes be patchy. We recommend boaties also carry a beacon such as a PLB or EPIRB, as well as a VHF radio."
