At about 6pm this evening Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) received a call from the agent for a Korean fishing vessel reporting that a crew member had been lost overboard about 90kms off the Banks Peninsula coastline.
A Mayday call for any vessels in the area to assist has been answered by Paerangi, a NZ fishing vessel and Kakariki, a NZ tanker, who are now helping in the search.
A Lyttelton Coastguard boat is also due to arrive on scene at about 10.15pm
The Westpac Rescue Helicopter, equipped with night vision goggles, is on its way back to the scene for a second search after returning to Christchurch to refuel.
No details of the missing crewman are available yet but the Korean Embassy has been informed of the incident.
