At about 7.20pm this evening emergency services attended a sinking of a runabout in Otautu Bay, Colville.
The vessel concerned sunk in heavy seas earlier in the evening. There were two men on board.
One man has been rescued by a member of the public close to shore and has been taken to Waikato Hospital Status 2.
The other man was located by a search vessel. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.
ends