18 July 2006
Overnight, the Rescue Coordination Centre of New Zealand initiated two search and rescue operations around Tonga.
The Rescue Coordination Centre picked up a mayday radio call from the couple on board the vessel at 11.30pm last night.
They reported that the yacht was badly damaged, but that they were reluctant to use their life raft due to the steep cliffs and jagged rocks in the area.
Unfortunately, maritime radio communications with the yacht were lost within a short time, but transmissions from a 406 MHz emergency locater beacon belonging to the yacht were then picked up.
At about 8.00am this morning, a Tongan naval ship managed to reach the stricken yacht, and the couple are currently being taken off.
Local Police have also been attempting to get to the rugged shoreline to assist, but there is no road access to the area and access on foot takes several hours.
Search for Tongan Fishing Vessel
The second search involves an 8.2 metre fishing boat which is overdue on a fishing trip north west of the Island of Kao.
An Air Force Orion aircraft has been dispatched to search for the vessel. The Orion is expected to arrive in the search area at approximately 9.30am this morning, when it will begin a radar and visual search over a 10,000 square mile area.
The boat has two Tongans on board and was due back on Saturday. A search by locals has so far failed to locate the vessel.
The boat has no maritime radio, emergency locator beacon or flares on board, and only limited supplies.
The Rescue Coordination Centre was notified of the overdue vessel yesterday afternoon by the Tongan Police and a request for assistance was made after a local search failed to locate the vessel.
Rescue of NZ Yacht Crew
The first involved the 9 metre New Zealand yacht Tamujin which ran aground on a reef near the north eastern corner of Eua Island, some 20 kilometres south east of the main Tongan island of Tongatapu.
For further information contact:
Maritime New Zealand Media Line
Phone 04 499 7318
