Three fishermen rescued on Sunday morning after being forced to abandon their sinking boat off the Taranaki coast are being praised for doing everything right.
A mayday call from the 17-metre fishing boat South Seas was issued just after 4am and the Taranaki Rescue helicopter was sent to the scene eight nautical miles south-west of Patea.
Just before 7am, all three crew were winched to safety by the helicopter.
Rescue Coordination Centre spokesperson Sophie Hazelhurst says the rescue was a textbook case thanks to the fishermen being well prepared.
She says they had a radio and emergency beacon on board, as well as a life raft which they were able to successfully get into.
The men were being taken to Taranaki Base Hospital for medical checks.