Pitcairn Islanders sail 170km to scientist's aid

By CATHERINE MASTERS

Witnesses on a remote Pacific island watched helplessly as a young New Zealand scientist was tossed into the air by heavy seas and suffered painful injuries when she landed back in her boat.

Claudine Stirling had been sitting at the front of an inflatable attempting to go through a coral reef at Henderson Island, one of the Pitcairn group, about halfway between New Zealand and Peru.

Her accident in high seas sparked a dramatic rescue by Pitcairn Islanders and a New Zealand nurse living on the island, who travelled in a longboat for 12 hours across 170km of high seas to reach her.

Last night Ms Stirling was being sheltered in the longboat while waiting for a cruise ship, which had diverted from its route, to collect her early today to take her to the nearest airstrip - another 20 hours away.

Ms Stirling, 33, is the head of an international research expedition to the islands which is collecting samples of ancient coral in order to learn about the processes driving the Earth's climates.

Alve Henricson, the Swedish captain of the 18m research boat, the Searcher, told the Herald he had been standing on Henderson Island watching the inflatable leave and saw the accident.

The boat was having difficulty going through the coral reef because of the swell.

"There are big waves breaking on the coral. She was sitting in the front of the inflatable and with a big wave she was thrown up in the air.

"When she landed she landed on the inflatable floor with her foot and broke it."

The boat turned around and went back to the beach but because she was so hurt it was difficult to get her out through the reef.

Captain Henricson praised the Pitcairn Islanders, who did not hesitate when they heard the call for help.

"They came a long way. I'm grateful for them to come such a long way. They did a very good job."



The Auckland-based commissioner for the islands, Leon Salt, who lived on Pitcairn for three years, said last night that even though the islanders were expert seamen, he had been reluctant for them to go to Ms Stirling's rescue because their second longboat was out of order.

The longboats did not usually go to the outer islands individually.



Ms Stirling's condition was stable, he said. "It's a serious break. They think it will require surgery so I presume that means pins and all."

The cruise ship, the Albatros, was due to arrive in the early hours and would then travel for another 20 hours to Mangareva Island in French Polynesia where the nearest airfield is. Ms Stirling would then be flown to Tahiti.