Injured yachties to be airlifted to NZ for medical treatment

Two injured New Zealanders stranded on their stricken yacht for days are now safely aboard a container ship and on their way to the Chatham Islands for airlift to New Zealand.

Christchurch couple Bruce Cox and Heloise Kortekkas were rescued from the Janette Gay shortly before 7pm today by the crew of the P&O Nedlloyd Encounter.

As the Encounter pulled up alongside the yacht, the couple managed to restart the yacht's motor and guide it into Encounter's gangway, where crew members escorted the couple aboard.

New Zealand Rescue Co-ordination Centre mission controller Neville Blakemore said the pair had been assessed in the sick bay of the ship and there was sufficient concern for the ship to have turned around and headed for the Chathams.

The 9.7m steel Janette Gay had been drifting 750km north of the Chathams since Saturday after losing its mast in stormy seas.

Mr Blakemore said that the captain of the merchant vessel told him the couple was immediately taken to the sick bay for assessment.

The couple was in good spirits and neither had hypothermia.

"They had bruising. However the master of the vessel is concerned about the hip injury that the gentleman has sustained so the vessel is returning to New Zealand.''

The seas today had a swell of about 1.5m compared to the 14-18m swells that thwarted yesterday's rescue attempt by crew of the smaller 5000-tonne cargo ship Maunakea.

Winds were also only about 10 knots compared to the 50-knot winds yesterday.

Mr Blakemore said the Encounter would head for the Chathams where it would be met by the Westpac rescue helicopter and air ambulance from Wellington and the couple would be flown back to the capital.

Mr Blakemore said he was "exceptionally pleased'' with the rescue effort.

"I'm sure the relatives and the two survivors are going to be absolutely rapt with the outcome.''

- NZPA