The survivor of the fatal head high collision between a powerboat and the western A channel marker is in a stable condition.

The impact 'must have been the right height to catch their heads,” says Don Wallis of the crash that killed Canadian national, Richard Evans, here with his wife on a two week holiday from Richmond BC.

The runabout did not capsize on immediate impact with the marker. It is shown here just moments before flipping, with survivor Keith Longley aboard. The marker is the red object. Photo by Don Wallis.

Don and skipper Graeme Wallace were first on the scene when the 5.6 metre runabout crashed near Rangiwaea Island, in Tauranga Harbour on Monday afternoon.

They were sailing Graeme's yacht Windrose back to the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club from Katikati and were looking out for the marker when they saw the accident.

'Graeme has all the markers on his GPS.

The Windrose alongside the capsized runabout with the Port of Tauranga pilot boat swimmer searching for any other survivors.

'We looked up to see where the marker was and I'd seen this ketch and was admiring it and didn't really take any notice of the motor boat on the other side of it.

'I looked up again and the boat had just ploughed into it.

'That thing is huge; massive. Holy smoke they must have hit it.”

Don says the fibreglass of the boat's hull was caved-in, just back from the bow.

Keith Longley being attended to by St John Ambulance staff at Sulphur Point.

'It didn't do as much damage as I thought considering what it did to the pole.”

Harbourmaster Carl Magazinovic says a temporary buoy is now in place of the damaged channel marker.

Bruce Goodchap from Bridge Marina says the roof of the boat's cabin had almost completely come off.

'The cabin top was off – it was hanging on by the cables.

'There was a bit of damage to the hull.”

Don says they sped across straight to the scene to give assistance, along with the ketch.

When they got there the skipper, Keith Longley, had climbed up on to the boat.

Tauranga Coastguard and the Port of Tauranga Arataki on the scene.

They pulled him aboard the ketch and then the motorboat turned upside down.

Don says Keith was in shock and it was difficult to get information out of him about who else was onboard.
'He had forgotten who was with him. He said ‘I think I had my wife with me'.”

Don says they phoned police who quickly called his wife to confirm she was not onboard.

Keith is an old identity well-know in Omokoroa, says Don.

A rescuer then turned up in a Port of Tauranga pilot boat and dived in to look for the other body.

'This guy just ripped his clothes of; he was a hero,” says Don.

He says the man dove under the boat, which was by then tied to the other two boats, and he couldn't find anybody at first.

'He looked again and came up with the body.

'He did such a great job.”

Brian Rogers, who also attended the scene with his wife Claire, pulled the body onto their Sealegs boat and with the swimmer, administered CPR.

Port of Tauranga chief executive Mark Cairns says the unsuccessful rescue had made an impact on the pilot boat worker.

'It hit him last night – he thought he could have done CPR for longer.”

'I was talking to Brian; he said that was not the case.

'To take a real risk and dive into an upturned hull – I'm really proud of him; he went above and beyond.”

He says the workers are all trained in first aid.

The Arataki pilot boat was escorting another boat out of the harbour when they responded to the Mayday call.

'Every boat on the water has a responsibility to attend a Mayday call.”

Keith is in a stable condition at Tauranga Hospital after being admitted with serious facial injuries.

Police are working with Maritime New Zealand to determine the exact cause of the crash. They are asking any witnesses to contact Tauranga police.

Local iwi have placed a Rahui on Tauranga harbour for three days.