Darkness and seas foil rescuers

By TONY GEE

Pitch-darkness and a heavy swell thwarted Northland searchers trying to find a sinking launch on which a man drowned and three others survived.

Police and the Northland Electricity rescue helicopter recovered the body of 63-year-old Victor Bargallie, of Whangarei, on Saturday morning near the Hen and Chickens Islands.

Mr Bargallie and three other Whangarei men, described by police as "good fishing mates", were on a Friday night fishing trip when swells took their boat, the 10m Murutai, on to the Tara Rocks at the southern end of the Hen and Chickens.

Sergeant Peter Toms said the boat was holed and began taking water.

One of the men took a line ashore on to the rocky islets.

Two others also left the sinking vessel.

"Waves were crashing over them and Mr Bargallie didn't make it," Sergeant Toms said.

The group sent out a mayday call about 10pm, and the Whangarei volunteer coastguard had a boat in the water within 30 minutes.

Other vessels and the rescue helicopter joined the search.

Coastguard boat skipper Jeff D'Ath said they searched the distress call area until 4am looking for survivors.

"We knew their boat had sunk. I heard one of them on the VHF radio telling another boat they were sinking.

"The other boat said they were only 20 minutes away and could help.

"The guy on Murutai said, 'We're sinking. We're in deep shit. We won't be here in 20 minutes. We're going down now.'

"Conditions were bad. It was very dark and there was a big swell."

Up to six boats and the helicopter were involved in the search.

The rescue helicopter found the three surviving men, aged between 50 and 70, at first light on Saturday and winched them from their rocky perch.

They were flown to Whangarei Hospital with hypothermia, and were discharged later in the morning.

The Murutai was last seen smashed to pieces among the Tara Rocks.

Mr D'Ath said the four men were well-equipped. All had lifejackets and they were on a big, strong wooden boat.

"They called on the right [radio] channel, 64, and got a response in 15 seconds. They did all the right things. If they hadn't, there could have been another three fatalities."

Mr D'Ath said Whangarei coastguard members were very disappointed not to have found the men or the boat on Friday night.

Police yesterday would not name the survivors until all had been interviewed.