Six feared perished after trawler sinks

The search continued this morning for six people missing after a 50-foot fishing trawler sank in treacherous seas in Foveaux Strait, east of Stewart Island, early last night.

Three people were rescued after they came ashore on nearby Women's Island and have been taken to Invercargill's Southland Hospital. Their condition was not available from the hospital or police this morning.

A Maritime New Zealand spokesman said 10 vessels, three helicopters, a fixed wing aircraft and numerous small craft were this morning searching for the remaining six people who were onboard.

It was reported today the fishing vessel was the Kotuku, from Bluff.

Herbie Hansen, from Southern Isle Charters, told the Herald on Sunday he had seen the trawler around 6pm, about 30 minutes before it went down.

He said the kids on board had been out muttonbirding.

"We keep going back and forth with our search lights checking. We've seen a bit of wreckage but that's all."

The Sunday Star Times reported the Kotuku's skipper is veteran Bluff trawlerman John Edminstin, who is in his late 50s and had owned the 15 metre vessel for about ten year.

David Edminstin, last night told the newspaper his cousin -- John -- was on board and the family had not heard if he was one of the men rescued.

He said John would have been ferrying men back to Bluff who had been on Muttonbird islands, south of Stewart Island.

"We heard a freak wave got them. A big wave picked them up," he told the newspaper.

An Invercargill based flight operator told the Herald on Sunday it was the end of the muttonbird season, and it was common for entire families, including children, to go muttonbirding on the islands in the strait.

The vessel went down about 6.30pm near Women's Island, 15km off Stewart Island.

Heavy snow is forecast for Southland and Otago today, and the MetService has forecast a sea temperature of 12 degrees.

Anyone in such water not wearing a wetsuit is understood to start suffering hypothermia within 45 minutes, a Met Service spokesman said.

- NZPA