Media Release January 17th 2013

Breaking News – on going search for missing person

At 0017 hours this morning Coastguard Northern Region’s Communications and SAR Response Centre was alerted by Police to a report of an overdue vessel who had departed Kawakawa Bay at 1100hours yesterday morning with four persons on board.

At 0850 hours this morning together with Coastguard Air Patrol and a member of the public discovered the overdue vessel, a small 14ft runabout, 6NM east of Ruthe Passage, in the northern end of Ponui Island. The vessel ‘Ocean’s One’ had 2 persons clinging to it, with Police Eagle Helicopter shortly locating a third person near the hull in the water nearby.

Coastguard Air Patrol remained on scene to direct other search and rescue resources to the distressed vessel’s location. Westpac Rescue 2 was shortly on scene to winch the two persons from the water with the third person being rescued from the water by Police Launch Deodar.

Just before 0900 hours, Coastguard Maraetai, Coastguard Waiheke and Coastguard Thames were tasked to the incident to work with Police vessel Deodar in the search for the fourth person who remains missing.

Coastguard Auckland Air Patrol and Police helicopter Eagle are under going a search of the area.

The search is still ongoing.

About Coastguard Northern Region:

Coastguard is the charity that provides New Zealand’s primary maritime search and rescue service. The organisation operates from a network of four regions and 71 affiliated units that are located around the coastline and major lakes of New Zealand.

Coastguard Northern Region operates the area from Thames across to the Mokau River and everywhere north. They are based at the Auckland Marine Rescue Centre (AMRC) in Mechanics Bay. Each year the operations room at the AMRC receives over 100,000 VHF marine radio calls.

However, Coastguard Northern Region does more than rescues at sea. Generations of dedicated people have established an organisation that provides a wealth of services to every person using our harbours and beaches.

We provide a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year service.

Install and maintain VHF radio repeaters throughout the Northern Region to enable mariners to communicate with each other over long distances.

Provide a 24 hour continuous weather forecast on marine radio VHF channels 20, 21, 22 and 23.

Accept trip reports from any vessel able to make radio contact.

Provide a range of boating education courses to ensure that boaties have a sound knowledge of their boats and the rules of the road at sea.

Coastguard’s Northern Region Maritime School gives boaties the skills they need for a safe and enjoyable time on the water. They have a range of theory-based and practical (RYA) courses available. These are aimed at encouraging people to get to know the boating rules and regulation whilst gaining the skills and experience to keep safe.

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