Media dunked at NZ rowing shoot

A boat capsized and journalists were tipped into the water as a photo opportunity for New Zealand's Olympic rowing team took an unexpected turn.

Cameramen and photographers were at Lake Karapiro, south of Auckland, to get some shots of the rowers before they left for Beijing.

But their launch capsized, leaving them clinging to the upturned hull.

The group were rescued by nearby rowing coaches, but valuable equipment ended up at the bottom of the lake.

A spokesman for Rowing New Zealand said weather conditions on the lake had not been bad.

"Water started coming in from the front, the water wasn't choppy," communications manager Richard Gee said. "We're not sure what happened."

Rowing New Zealand has commissioned divers to see if the equipment - reportedly worth hundreds of thousands of New Zealand dollars - can be salvaged.

The seven journalists were offered a shower and dry clothes, Stuff website reported.