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Story: Search and rescue

An early lifeboat

Image
Long rowing boat pulled up on rocks surrounded by five men wearing life jackets.

The Sumner Lifeboat Institution was founded in 1898 at Sumner Beach, near Christchurch, to undertake sea rescues. Volunteer members, wearing life jackets, stand beside their first lifeboat, Rescue. Sumner Lifeboat was a founding member of the New Zealand Coastguard Federation in 1976 and is still in existence.

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Christchurch City Libraries

Reference: PhotoCD 7, IMG0048

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How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick and Dan Clearwater, Search and rescue – History, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/13207/an-early-lifeboat (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick and Dan Clearwater, published 2 March 2009, reviewed and revised 27 July 2023 with assistance from Dan Clearwater.