A lifejacket saved an elderly whitebaiter swept 1km out to sea off the Canterbury coast today.
The 74-year-old man was whitebaiting at the mouth of the Rakaia River, about 40km east of Ashburton, this afternoon.
Police were notified about 5.30pm that he had been swept out to sea, said Sergeant Dean Lawrence of police southern communications.
About 6.20pm a rescue helicopter sent from Christchurch found the man 1km out to sea and winched him aboard.
He was taken to Christchurch Hospital suffering from hypothermia.
"The fact that the man survived is put down to the fact that he was wearing a life jacket," Mr Lawrence said.
