Night Rescue Of Fishermen From Sinking Boat In BOP

Night Rescue Of Fishermen From Sinking Boat In Bay Of Plenty

"At about 1020 PM tonight (Tuesday November 14) the 40 ft fishing vessel MAXINE with three crew on board, at the time about 110 km north east of Tauranga, suddenly started taking on water. The crew declared a MAYDAY on Channel 16, the marine Very High Frequency (VHF) emergency channel and said they may soon have to abandon their vessel.

"The Maritime Duty Officer (MDO) immediately informed the duty Search and Rescue Coordinator (SARMC) at the National Rescue Coordination Centre (NRCC) in Wellington and called for any other ships in the area to stand by to assist the distressed vessel and its crew.

"At 1032 PM, one of the eight satellites dedicated to locating emergency locator beacons had passed over New Zealand and reported the position of the emergency beacon that had been activated by MAXINE's crew.

"By 1045 PM a number of vessels had advised they were available to help, but only three, the fishing vessels Enterprise, Chatpak and Lady Luck, were asked to go to MAXINE's assistance. The first of them would arrive at the MAXINE's location at 1.45 AM.

"An Air Force P3K Orion was tasked to fly to the area to arrive at the same time as the first of rescue vessels arrived at about 1.50 AM, to locate the MAXINE and direct the fishing vessels to her if required.

"To ensure the distressed vessel and crew could be subsequently rescued in the event the seabourne efforts were unsuccessful, Auckland's Airwork (NZ) Ltd rescue helicopter was placed on standby for a dawn take off.

"Meanwhile, another fishing vessel, VULCAN, closer to the Maxine than the others, reported she would be at the distressed vessels location at 1250 AM. Vulcan located Maxine on radar soon after 1230 AM and successfully recovered Maxine's three shaken, but otherwise unhurt, crew at 1.00 AM.

"With the rescue completed successfully the Air Force's Orion, Airwork's rescue helicopter, and their crews, and the other fishing vessels, were stood down.

The fishing vessel Maxine was still afloat at about 1.15 AM."

ENDS

Released by:

John Seward, Duty SARMC NRCC Wellington

Ph: (04) 4960299

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