Man pulled from water unconscious

One of three men rescued after a small fishing boat capsized in Napier today has been taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The 39 year old was unconscious when he was pulled from underneath the boat, where he became trapped near Westshore Beach about midday.

It is believed the three men were pulling in their fishing net when the boat capsized.

Locals helped the three from the water and the injured man was flown to Hawkes' Bay Hospital in a serious condition, said Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter spokeswoman Louise Harvey.

The other two men, who landed in the water, were relatively unscathed.

About the same time today, the Wellington-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter plucked a jetskier from the water 1.5km off the Wairarapa coast after he was knocked off his jetski near Lake Ferry.

Several hours later, the Square Trust Rescue Helicopter had to rescue a teenager who had become stranded on a sandbar in the middle of the Manawatu River in Palmerston North. He was swept down the river while swimming about 5pm.

- NZPA