MEDIA RELEASE Date: Sunday 24 April 2005

Time: 8.05am

Missing Fishing Vessels Located West of Nuie

An Air Force Orion has located two Samoan fishing vessels in difficulty about 60 kilometres west of Nuie.

Rescue Coordinator Centre Mission Coordinator, Tracy Brickles, said that an Air Force Orion was dispatched from Auckland to Nuie at 1:00am this morning following a beacon alert yesterday evening.

“It began searching at first light and found the two vessels almost immediately. The vessels were damaged by a tropical storm in the area on Friday and appear to have lost all power. For safety reasons, the vessels are now lashed together ” said Ms Brickles.

The Orion has dropped a marine radio to the vessels in an effort to establish direct contact with the crew. There are four crew members on each vessel, and all are reported to be safe and well.

“We have arranged for a containership in the area to rendezvous with the fishing vessels, but it is not expected to reach them until around 9:45am.

“The tropical storm has now passed through the area and the weather had eased”, said Ms Brickles.

ENDS

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