Trampers rescued from Tararua Ranges
Sunday, 29 August 2010
Search in Southern Ocean stood down
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Part 82: Commercial Jet Boat Operations – River
19 August 2010
Part 21: Amendment 2010
10 August 2010
QOL Review Design
19 April 2010
10 December 2005
This afternoon an Orion is searching southeast of the Chatham Islands for three fishermen who have been missing since their commercial vessel Mi Jay left Nelson on 22 November.
The Chatham Islands Police are also searching the shoreline around the Islands by fixed-wing aircraft.
This new search follows further and new information from colleagues of the skipper who believe they may have gone fishing near the Chatham Islands rather than off the Kaikoura Coast.
Rescue Coordination Centre Mission Coordinator Roger Brimacombe says further information has revealed the skipper may have decided to fish in the Maori Acre area, northwest of the Chatham Islands.
“There is a reasonable chance the fishermen did indeed end up fishing near the Chathams and had to abandon to their liferaft. They may be in a very remote location or be injured, so it’s important this area is searched,” he said.
The Orion will reach the area southwest of the Chatham Islands at around 2pm to begin searching a 17,000 square kilometre area. Analysis of the drift of a liferaft shows this is the area the raft would be in if they had needed to abandon the Mi Jay.
The Orion and fixed wing aircraft will complete searching these areas today.
There have been no sightings of Mi Jay or contact with the fishermen for 18 days, despite an extensive search by an Orion covering 90,000 square kilometres on Tuesday, a search of the New Zealand coastline on Thursday, and ongoing broadcasts to mariners at sea.
“Clearly, this search is a reminder to all mariners and boaties that they must tell people where they’re going and what time they’ll be back, and that they must also be in regular contact such as via scheduled radio calls. It’s for your own safety, and it means that if we need to search for you we can find you much sooner, enhancing your chance of survival,” said Mr Brimacombe.
The skipper of the Mi Jay is Paul Rees, 52, of Nelson. The names of the other two men are still unable to be confirmed at this stage; however they are both in their 50s and are from Nelson.
Background
On Tuesday, an Air Force Orion searched a 90,000 square kilometre area from Banks Peninsula to Castlepoint, up to 150 miles offshore. This was the area the fishermen were expected to be fishing. On Thursday two helicopters searched 570km stretch of New Zealand coastline.
The 13-metre-long vessel, Mi Jay, was expected to arrive back in Nelson within two weeks. The owner of the vessel contacted RCCNZ at 9am on Tuesday to report his crew to be overdue.
The Mi Jay has good communications equipment on board including two distress beacons and both VHF and HF radios, yet there has been no contact.
For further information contact:
Maritime New Zealand Media Line
Phone 04 499 7318
