Emergency services were called to a moored houseboat in Tauranga harbour this afternoon after a person suffered a medical event on board.

A member of the public ferried rescue staff out to the boat.

Fire and Emergency NZ northern communications centre shift manager Daniel Nicholson says a man on board the boat has suffered a medical event.

Emergency services gathered on The Strand extension shortly before 3pm, beached until a member of the public offered a then lift in a small inflatable.

Tauranga Bridge Marina provided a slightly bigger boat to help bring the patient ashore to a waiting ambulance.