Search called off for missing fishing boat

The official search for the missing fishing vessel Mi Jay is due to be called off today, but family of the three crew are refusing to give up hope that their loved ones are alive.

Skipper Paul Rees, 53, and two other men, whose names have not yet been released, set out on the Mi Jay from Nelson on November 22 and they have not been heard from since.

It was first thought the vessel had headed to waters off Canterbury or Kaikoura, but after a major air and sea search the hunt shifted to the Chatham Islands, where friends and colleagues also thought the vessel may have gone.

The official search, run by the National Rescue Coordination Centre (NRCC), is due to be called off today after Chathams police complete final searches by boat.

NRCC spokeswoman Heidi Brook said a review of the search would be carried out, but without new information there was nothing left to go on.

"Unfortunately in this particular case, there hasn't been a lot of information and that's very unusual. Normally you would get sightings of the vessel that would help lead us in a particular direction, but there's just been nothing," Ms Brook said.

"As each day goes, it becomes more and more likely that they are not alive."

Mr Rees' brother, Charlie Rees, told the Herald he believed the Mi Jay could be "parked up" somewhere in the Chatham Islands, with the crew staying off the radio and oblivious to the fact there was a search for them.

He could understand why the official search was being called off, but was helping arrange a private search around the Chatham Islands "over the next couple of weeks if we have to".

Paul Rees was a "young" 52-year-old and very fit.

"If anybody is going to make it, I believe he will. He will fight to the end."

Ms Brook said there was a chance the men were still alive and on a life raft.

"They would be able to survive a period of time on that, however we have covered such an extensive area now. They did have a lot of food on board and water, but as time goes on those supplies would be depleting as well. It's also pretty cold out there."

An Air Force Orion and a smaller fixed-wing aircraft searched waters around the Chatham Islands on Saturday. The smaller aircraft was meant to complete shoreline searching of the islands yesterday, but was unable to fly because of bad weather.

Chatham Islands police would cover areas by sea the aircraft had not been able to cover. Nelson police had had difficulties finding the next of kin of the two unnamed crewmen, but may name them today.