Yacht missing off Coromandel coast found near Whangarei
The search for a missing yacht off the Coromandel coast is over after the yacht was found, with both people on board believed to be safe, south of Whangarei.
Two rescue helicopters, a Coastguard vessel and HMNZS Te Kaha were deployed by the Rescue Co-ordination Centre NZ after they received a mayday call from the yacht called Tribe at 6.30pm on Wednesday.
It was located yesterday afternoon in Bream Bay about 4 nautical miles (7km) south of Whangarei. That is about 80 nautical miles (150km) north of where it made its mayday call.
The Tribe’s skipper will meet with Maritime NZ staff today to discuss what happened and what lessons can be learned from the incident.
Senior search and rescue officer Chris Henshaw said irrespective of the circumstances of the Tribe incident, anyone on the water who believes their life is in danger should not hesitate to make a mayday call or activate a distress beacon.
Delay can be fatal, he said. ‘‘If you make a mayday call and the situation changes for the better, then make the radio call to cancel the mayday. You will be thanked for the cancellation – no one will be critical or angry.
‘‘If you activated a beacon and are no longer in danger, then make sure you leave the beacon on until you are contacted by rescuers. If you turn it off, we have the position you were at but no way of knowing if you have moved or what has happened.
‘‘Our advice to everyone going boating is take two water-proof ways to call for help. A VHF radio and distress beacon are the best. Close to shore, a cellphone in a waterproof bag can be one way to call for help.’’
The Tribe’s mayday call was made giving co-ordinates to the east of Waiheke, but the radio positioned the yacht off the east coast of the Coromandel.
The radio contact made was brief, Maritime New Zealand spokesman Vince Cholewa said.
Cholewa said that if you changed one number in the mayday call it would put them off the east coast of the Coromandel but both areas were searched.
It was about 24,700 square kilometres of water searched, from Waihı¯/Mayor Island in the south to the Mokohinau Islands north of Great Barrier Island and 70 nautical miles offshore. Included in the search was a commercial aircraft from the Bay of Plenty, the Auckland Coastguard and the Defence Force.
It was located yesterday afternoon in Bream Bay about
4 nautical miles
(7km) south of Whangarei.