Search decision due today

Two men and a woman have been rescued from their battered yacht, Platino, around 550 kilometres north of New Zealand by the crew of the container ship Southern Lily.

The Rescue Coordination Centre will this morning decide whether to continue searching for a man washed overboard north of New Zealand.

The search has been complicated by rough seas 550km off New Zealand's coast.

One man was killed by the yacht Platino's rigging, and another was swept overboard when the vessel encountered rough conditions two days ago. Three others were rescued from the stricken yacht yesterday.

The rescue centre's Steve Rendle said officials were reviewing the search so far, including analysing currents.

No active search is under way now, but they were looking at the next step.

It's thought the three survivors from the stricken yacht Platino will arrive in Auckland late tonight.

They're on board the container ship Southern Lily.

The trio was transferred from the yacht to the cargo ship in rough seas about 500 kilometres north of the country yesterday afternoon.

The body of one crew member killed by falling rigging has been left on board while a fifth member is lost at sea.