Crewman missing in 7m seas without lifejacket

It is unlikely a crewman who fell from a cargo ship north of New Zealand yesterday survived the night in very rough seas, where the swell was reaching 7m.

The man, believed to be from Myanmar and aged in his 40s was wearing dark clothing and boots when he fell from the Panamanian-flagged TPC Napier, 425km north of Cape Reinga, yesterday afternoon.

He was not wearing a lifejacket.

It was not viable to send a search plane so far north as it would have very little time in the 80sq km search area, where it was dark and conditions were rough, Maritime New Zealand spokeswoman Rosemary Neilson.

Another ship in the area had joined the search for the crewman but resumed its journey about 2.30am.

The Napier, which had been heading from Malaysia to the Port of Tauranga, was still searching the area.

- NZPA