Grave concerns for missing schooner – update 3

28 June 2013 6.15pm

A shoreline search for the crew of the historic American 21m (70ft) schooner Nina missing en route from Opua in the Bay of Islands to Newcastle, Australia, has been undertaken today (28 June) without success.

An extensive aerial shoreline search was undertaken along the northern west coast of New Zealand, an area determined by the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) based on drift modelling from the last known position of the yacht on 4 June.

"We tasked a twin-engine fixed-wing aircraft to search the shoreline and coast starting at Tauroa Point, along Ninety Mile Beach, north of Northland, and out to and around Three Kings Islands, but unfortunately there was no sign of the vessel or crew," said Mr Blakemore.

The Hamilton-based Phillips Search and Rescue Trust fixed-wing Piper Chieftain aeroplane with the pilot and three observers on board left Hamilton at around 10.00am and arrived at Tauroa Point at around 10.45am, and searched throughout the day until 5pm.

Mr Blakemore said a debrief would be held overnight, before a decision on the next stage of the search operation.

Background

There are seven people on board the schooner Nina, six Americans (three men aged 17, 28 and 58, and three women aged 18, 60 and 73) and a British man aged 35.

To date, the RCCNZ has coordinated two extensive sea-based searches based on different scenarios, covering a combined area of 500,000 square nautical miles.

The schooner Nina, built in 1928, left Opua on 29 May and has not been heard from since 4 June, when the vessel was about 370 nautical miles west-north-west of Cape Reinga.

The vessel is equipped with satellite phone, a spot device which allows regular tracking signals to be sent manually, and an emergency beacon. The emergency beacon has not been activated.

After concerns were raised by family and friends, the RCCNZ instigated a communications search on 14 June, using a range of communications methods to broadcast alerts to the vessel and others in the area.

No sign of the vessel has been reported by any other vessel in the area since 4 June.

RCCNZ search and rescue mission coordinator Kevin Banaghan said an RNZAF P3 Orion had completed two extensive searches.

On 25 June, a search area of 160,000 square nautical miles was covered, to the immediate north-north-east of New Zealand, based on the vessel being disabled and drifting.

On 26 June, a search was completed of 324,000 square nautical miles between northern New Zealand and the Australian coast, based on the vessel suffering damage but continuing to make progress towards Australia.

To date, no sign of the vessel has been found. Records show that conditions at the last known position for the vessel, on 4 June, were very rough, with winds of 80kmh, gusting to 110kmh, and swells of up to 8m.

RCCNZ is liaising with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), and will continue to review search options.

ENDS

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