March 18 (UPI) -- Emergency responders launched a swift search following a report of swimmers in distress off the Matua coast, but police said the supposed swimmers "turned out to be geese."
Police responded Monday night alongside the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter and the Tauranga Coastguard when a report came in about two swimmers in distress near Fergusson Park.
The helicopter and Coastguard crews searched the area for about 45 minutes before police gave the call to stand down.
A police representative later told SunLive that the search was called off when the reported struggling swimmers "turned out to be geese."
A Tauranga Coastguard spokesperson said the caller who mistook the birds for people did the right thing by making the report.
"It's always better to be safe than sorry," the spokesperson said.
