A Coastguard Whangaroa vessel couldn’t reach the group because of large swells.
Photo: Supplied

Four people have made it safely back to land after their boat flipped during a fishing trip in the Far North this evening.

Northland police Search and Rescue’s Sergeant Shane Turner said the inflatable Takacat rolled when it was hit by a wave near Cone Rock, north of Taupō Bay.

The two spearfishers and two passengers managed to swim to rocks at the bottom of a steep cliff.

A Coastguard Whangaroa vessel was unable to approach due to large swells, so a rope team was deployed from Whangārei to attempt a rescue from land.

However, the group managed to scale the cliff themselves before the rescue crew arrived, and were picked up by a farm manager just after 6pm.

Turner said all four were adequately wetsuited and equipped, including with a waterproof cellphone. They raised the alarm by climbing rocks until they got a cellphone signal.

“They did all the right things,” he said.

No one was injured and their boat had been recovered.

The group was believed to be staying at Tauranga Bay.