Two 11-year-olds were rescued from an island at the confluence of the Hāwea and Clutha Rivers this afternoon (Sunday January 22).

The children were reportedly not wearing life jackets as they floated down the river, and they lost their flotation device when they reached the Clutha River at Albert Town.

“Two people were reported to be struggling in the river at about 4.10pm,” a police spokesperson said.

She said the incident happened at the confluence of the Clutha and Hāwea Rivers.

“They were picked up by a local with a boat and transported safely to shore.”

Wānaka tourism operator Lakeland Adventures was the local boat owner which picked up the children from a small island where they were stranded.

Queenstown Lakes harbourmaster Phil Wiel told the Wānaka App the safety advice is “know your limits”.

He said his advice is to always wear a life jacket when you’re floating down a river. 

“No matter what your skills are, our rivers are swift and our rivers are powerful.”

The incident follows almost daily news of drownings in New Zealand, including two deaths near Glenorchy in recent days, one of whom was a Wānaka man.

Read more: Man who died trying to save son was from Wānaka

“This has been happening since before the Europeans arrived. The European [settlers] called drowning the New Zealand disease,” Phil said.

“People just need to be aware that our rivers are dangerous.”

The hydro dam controlled Hāwea River can be a grade II (for kayakers), with a series of small rapids. Below the Camphill Bridge the Hāwea Whitewater Park (near the swingbridge) can increase in difficulty to between a grade II and III.

The river was running at 15 cumecs today, just over its usual 10 cumec flow.

PHOTO: Wānaka App