Fisherman lucky to be alive after sinking in muddy Papakura estuary

  • 06/02/2018
With the tide set to come in, it was a race against time to rescue the sunken fisherman.
With the tide set to come in, it was a race against time to rescue the sunken fisherman. Photo credit: NZ Police / Facebook

A fisherman is lucky to be alive after sinking up to his chin in a muddy Papakura estuary.

Last Wednesday morning the unnamed man was preparing his fishing net in Pahuhure Inlet when the ground gave way.

He suddenly sunk to his thighs, and then his neck, leaving only a portion of his white cap free from mud.

Thankfully a local on the other side of the inlet witnessed the incident and phoned police.

Papakura Constable Gavin Giles was among the first at the scene, and told Stuff the fisherman should be grateful for the witness who likely saved his life.

"He was the one who made the difference. Without him it would be a completely different story. It would have been a recovery."

Papakura Constable Gavin Giles and Sergeant Dean Lauder.
Papakura Constable Gavin Giles and Sergeant Dean Lauder. Photo credit: NZ Police / Facebook

Constable Giles told Stuff the fisherman was so deeply submerged that even the police Eagle helicopter had difficulty locating him.

With the tide set to come in, it was a race against time to rescue the sunken fisherman.

Constable Giles waded into the mud and, with the help of three other emergency services personnel, pulled the fisherman to safety.

Newshub.