Westpac Helicopter sent to boat emergency

At about 4.18pm this afternoon, a distress call was received by Maritime operations.

The call was in relation to a person who had collapsed unconscious on a vessel just off Waiaro, on the west side of the Coromandel north of Colville Bay.

He was with two others on the vessel.

A second boat went to assist the patient's boat and together they made their way ashore.

Westpac have been dispatched and were on scene at 5.05pm.

The patient was removed to Auckland Hospital with heart problems.