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Two Hawke's Bay men face charges for going out crayfishing in an ill-equipped boat after they had been drinking.
The men, aged 45 and 51, were rescued from Pania Reef off the coast of Napier on Sunday morning after their flatmate reported them and his boat missing.
They had been drinking before setting out on Saturday night in five-metre runabout that had no navigation lights, lifejackets, flares or marine radio.
The pair had only limited boating experience and had not told anyone that they were going out to sea.
Their flatmate realised at 3am on Sunday that the men and his boat were missing, and after taking out another boat to look for them, reported them missing around 9am.
Police said they planned to lay a charge of dangerous navigation against the men.
Constable Mike Signal of Napier Police the search had involved the Lowe Corporation rescue helicopter, Hawke's Bay Coastguard, and the coastguard air patrol.
The incident "again highlights the small number of people that still persist in going out ill-equipped and ill-prepared", he told The Dominion Post.
- NZPA
