Couple overturned grateful to the police and their savior

A fisherman whose boat capsized in the Firth of Thames made a frantic emergency call while clinging to a cold container.

Zak Grammer, 34, and Jordan Ishigaki, 27, have described their recent experience in the police force. Ten One Magazine.

The pair left in Grammer’s 5-meter boat at around 4.45 p.m. on February 10. They described the conditions at the time as “flat as a pancake,” but things suddenly changed.

Fishing for snappers, the couple noticed that at 5.30pm conditions changed.

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“By then it was getting more and more choppy, so we packed it up and were crossing the Firth when the wind picked up.”

Within 20 minutes, the couple realized they might be in trouble.

“Suddenly the engine died and a wave passed directly over the top, that was half the boat. We started rescuing when the second wave came, very fast. “

The bow of the boat rose, throwing Ishigaki into the sea.

Grammer was dragged under the canopy and appeared to find his boat three-quarters underwater.

Both men were able to put on their life jackets and climb into a nearby cold container.

Grammer, still holding his cell phone, was able to send an emergency call to the operator.

“There was a moment of doubt when I thought I had said the wrong location.”

Then the phone went dead.

“It was choppy, the wind was cold and we were both starting to shake a bit,” Grammer said.

Then they had to wait as darkness approached.

Acting Sergeant Leon Balvert was in Paeroa when he got the call about Grammer and Ishigaki.

“It was initially reported to be from around Pipiroa, but we couldn’t get an exact location, so communications pinged the cell phone and got a more precise location from Waikawau.”

The coast guard was notified and the police Eagle helicopter was dispatched from Auckland.

Acting Sgt. Mark Jamieson, Eagle helicopter tactical flight officer, said the crew began a search starting at the last known position using fading daylight.

“We located the boat floating just below the surface quite quickly, then some debris from the boat and finally the pair in life jackets floating in the ocean clinging to a cold container.

A rescue ship had not arrived, conditions were getting worse and there was great pressure to get the men out of the water before the helicopter had to refuel.

Officers Jordan Crowe and Ben Mason, who were also responding from Thames, arrived at the Waikawau boat ramp to find a lone vehicle and an empty boat trailer.

By now, the men’s phone had been turned off and it was getting dark fast.

At the boat ramp, Jason Bithell and his partner, Mallory Hodgson, had just got into their 5-meter aluminum boat and were heading home when cops greeted them.

Agents Crowe and Mason asked Bithell if he would relaunch his ship.

He agreed and together the trio headed in the windy and choppy conditions towards where Eagle was circling.

By then, Grammer and Ishigaki had been in the water for about 90 minutes, they could see the lights from the shore and the helicopter overhead.

“We were cold and a little shaky. Definitely relieved, ”said Grammer.

St John checked them ashore before returning to Paeroa.

Grammer said it showed the importance of having good quality life jackets, with reflectors and a whistle, and wearing them at all times in the water as things can happen quickly.

Having a phone or a form of communication in an airtight suitcase was also essential.

He thanked the sheriffs and Jason Bithell for their life-saving efforts.

“Thanks to the New Zealand police. It was a quick thought to get that guy to come out and get us.”