Skipper of missing yacht found in Northland off the hook
26 Feb, 2021 04:00 PM
4 minutes to read
The New Zealand Defence Force committed the HMNZS Te Kaha to search and rescue mission on February 17. Photo / File
Northern Advocate
A skipper who sparked a major search and rescue operation with a confusing Mayday call will not face any further actions, Maritime NZ says.
Rescuers looking for the yacht Tribe on February 17 say the
search was frustrated by a lack of yacht name and accurate location in the Mayday call.
Maritime NZ spokesman Vince Cholewa said distressing circumstances had hampered the skipper.
"He was under high stress, in a very noisy environment, single-handedly struggling to manage his yacht and keep his inexperienced crew member safe in heavy seas, strong wind and increasing darkness."