Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
It was a lucky rescue for two men onboard a 50-foot yacht in distress off the east coast of Marlborough last night.
Police were alerted just after 8pm by one of the men onboard the ex-fishing trawler, which had lost power in big swells.
A search and rescue operation was launched in conjunction with Maritime NZ.
The vessel’s lifejackets had been lost overboard in the swell. Police search and rescue co-ordinator Senior Sergeant Peter Payne says the potential was there for the situation to end very badly.
“I started to have some concerns early on in the piece. Given the weather conditions, we couldn’t fly, and you’re really limited in the number of vessels that can head out to assist,” he says.
It was a lucky rescue for two men onboard a 50-foot yacht in distress off the east coast of Marlborough last night. Police were alerted just after 8pm by.