Raglan, Saturday 11 May, 2025 – Four people, including a teenager, were rescued off the coast of Raglan this morning, thanks to an urgent call from a member of the public.
At 11:21am, Coastguard Raglan was alerted by a fellow Coastguard volunteer who had seen a boat attempting to cross the Raglan bar and was concerned it didn’t make it across safely.
Coastguard Raglan Gallagher Rescue skipper Lee Poolton said jetskis Rylock Rescue One and Two with four volunteers launched immediately and by 11:43am had located four people, about 800m behind the bar, clinging to a floating chilly bin.
One jetski transported the teenager back to Manu Bay for immediate medical attention.
Rescue vessel Gallagher Rescue, with six volunteers onboard, arrived at the scene and transported the remaining three back to shore, where they were assessed by Hato Hone St John ambulance crew.
“I truly believe that without the Raglan community and someone alerting us about this so quickly, they could still be out there, and we not know. It was that immediate call that made all the difference,” Poolton said.
It’s understood that only some of those rescued were wearing lifejackets, and no Bar Watch or Trip Report had been logged with Coastguard.
Poolton said the Raglan bar can be dangerous to navigate, and the conditions were “atrocious” out there this morning with an outgoing tide and a 2-metre swell.
“At this stage, the vessel has not been located and we suspect it may have sunk."
“The rest of the Coastguard Raglan crew did a stellar job and acted really quickly and efficiently throughout the rescue.”
Journalists notes:
Coastguard’s Bar Watch provides a vital safety net where boaties log their crossings via VHF or *500 from a mobile, ensuring someone is keeping watch. If a crossing report isn’t closed within 15–30 minutes (depending on the bar), Coastguard initiates a search operation, offering peace of mind and rapid response in case of emergencies.
