A Bay of Plenty man was quickly pulled from the water after he fell unconscious this afternoon.

The 55-year-old man was launching a boat in Waihau Bay when he suffered a medical event and lost consciousness.

Family members at the scene were quickly able to pull the man from the water.

The Tauranga-based Truspower TECT Rescue Helicopter was called to the scene to fly the man to hospital.

A spokesperson for the rescue chopper says the man was stablised by St John Paramedics before being flown to Whakatane Hospital for treatment.