Jetskier saved and teen rescued from river

A teenager had to be rescued from the Manawatu River in Palmerston North today after he became stranded on a sandbar after being swept away by the current.

The man, who was about 18 years old, had been swimming with a group when he got into difficulty and the current swept him downstream about 5pm, police central communications team leader Chris Turner said.

He managed to get onto a rocky sand bar in the middle of the river.

However, police determined it was too dangerous to reach him or for him to swim back, so called the Square Trust rescue helicopter to pick him up, Mr Turner said.

Earlier today, about 1pm, a jetskier was plucked from the water 1.5km off the Wairarapa coast after he was knocked off his jetski near Lake Ferry.

About the same time three fishermen also had to be rescued off the coast of Napier after their boat capsized.

- NZPA