Three fishermen on their small wooden boat were located by the crew of a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon.
Three fishermen on their small wooden boat were located by the crew of a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon.
Three Fijian fishermen lost at sea in a small wooden boat for more than a week have been found by the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF).
The fishermenwere last heard from on October 2 when they reported engine issues on their boat Lewa after setting for Nanuya Island from Lautoka.
They spent nine days lost at sea without any locator beacons or communications equipment apart from a mobile phone with a flat battery. They had only lifejackets and flares.
Another fishing boat spent several days unsuccessfully searching for the Lewa in bad weather.
The moment the RNZAF spotted the Fijian fishermen on their small wooden boat after nine days lost at sea. Photo / NZDF
Fiji’s Rescue Co-ordination Centre then asked the crew of one of RNZAF’s P-8A Poseidons for help in finding the missing fishermen.
Maritime New Zealand’s Rescue Co-ordination Centre gave the Poseidon crew an area to search after studying various data, manager of operations Michael Clulow said.
“Our team conducted a detailed analysis that included data from nine days of oceanic currents and weather to identify a search area using computer modelling.
“The search area was large due to the amount of time the fishing boat had been drifting, but we were able to provide the P-8A crew an area to search, which is where the vessel was found.”
On Wednesday morning, the Poseidon crew began searching by eye and radar and spotted the Lewa that afternoon.
The RNZAF asked nearby boats for help with the rescue and remained nearby until a vessel was close enough to save them.
Air Commodore Andy Scott said it was a challenging search over a large area, given it had been nine days since the fishermen on the Lewa were last heard from. Photo / NZDF
Air Commodore Andy Scott said it was a challenging search over a large area given it had been nine days since the fishermen were last heard from.
“However, the excellent search data provided by Maritime New Zealand’s Rescue Co-ordination Centre and the manner in which the fishermen had prepared themselves to survive at sea led to this successful outcome.
“The P-8 is proving itself a highly effective and responsive asset to support the people of New Zealand and our Pacific neighbours, and was no doubt an incredibly welcome sight for the people on board the fishing vessel.”
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
