Photo: RNZA boy with no lifejacket spent an hour swimming away from his burning boat on Lake Taupō while rescue helicopter calls were delayed by police, RNZ has learned. However, FENZ told RNZ today it reached the boat at 7.21pm. 'Found in time'Police today told RNZ it was "incredibly frustrating for police given the bylaw restrictions on people under 15 driving boats". A 7.18pm timestamp said they contacted a local rescue helicopter pilot "(not via AirDesk) in the event a helicopter was needed for the Search and Rescue operation". 6.54pm - Airdesk calls Taupō rescue chopper about a 'potential' incident to confirm if equipped for water rescue; told yes.

Source: Otago Daily Times December 24, 2025 04:49 UTC