15 May 2016

NZ Defence Force Orion Finds Missing Kiribati Fishermen

A New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) P-3K2 Orion aircraft has found three Kiribati fishermen missing since the morning of 7 May adrift near Tarawa, the Pacific Islands nation’s capital and main atoll.

The Orion, from the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s 5 Squadron, took off at 6.30am yesterday to search for the missing fishermen, and spotted them waving from their 16-foot skiff soon after reaching the search area about 1.30pm yesterday.

The Orion crew reported that the men appeared to be in good health and dropped them emergency supplies of food, water, a torch and a radio.

The fishermen were advised to await the arrival of the Kiribati patrol boat MV Tina Teroai, which was about 70 miles south of the area where the skiff was drifting, and they were picked up by the patrol boat around midnight last night.

The men, aged from 34 to 47, were last seen fishing between Tarawa and Maina atolls about 10am on 7 May. The NZDF assistance was requested through the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand on 13 May.

The Orion also found another skiff drifting near Tarawa but with no one on board.

“It was a successful search that saved three lives. The fishermen did not appear to have any survival equipment so it is fortunate that our Orion found them,” Air Component Commander Air Commodore Darryn Webb said.

The Squadron has conducted four search and rescue operations in the Pacific since January, including three to Kiribati.

A New Zealand Defence Force P-3K2 Orion aircraft has found three Kiribati fishermen missing since 7 May. The Orion also found another skiff drifting near Tarawa but with no crew on board.

ENDS

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