Supplied Coastguard volunteer Ethan Rigby stands in the boat three men clung to as they waited to be saved. Manawatū Coastguard president Eddie Bambury and his volunteers leapt into action, taking their jet ski into the water to search for the men. The Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter and police were also called to help with the rescue. Bambury, who skippered the coastguard’s boat, said the men were found gripping the edge of their boat, about 2 kilometres off the edge of the sandbar, cold and glad to see help had arrived. “They’d been clinging to the boat for over and hour,” he said.