The area being searched after two people on a yacht sent out a mayday call.
A distress call that led to a wild goose chase in search of a missing yacht later found safe 150km away, is a reminder to all boaties to have two forms of communication on them while out at sea.
The mishap occurred when Rescue Co-ordination Centre NZ received a mayday call from a yacht believed to be sinking on the Coromandel coast on February 17.
With radio silence from the skipper and night falling, two rescue helicopters, a Coastguard vessel and HMNZS Te Kaha were deployed to find the missing yacht, called Tribe.