An Air Force Iroquois helicopter has rescued a French tourist who was swept out to sea in Samoa.
The Defence Force says currents pulled the man beyond the reef when he went for a swim with his family on Wednesday.
An Iroquois helicopter in Samoa as a part of a training exercise was asked by the New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre to help in the search.
The helicopter's captain, Flight Lieutenant Daniel Pezaro, says they found the man perched on a rocky outcrop below a cliff early this morning. He had battled his way back to the shore, and was very lucky to have survived.
A medic helped winch the man on board, and he was then taken to a local hospital to be checked by doctors.
