Yachties winched to safety

Two yachties were winched to safety off their battered yacht early today by rescue helicopter, 65 kilometres south of Cape Palliser.

The 9.14m (30-foot) yacht Husvale, on a delivery trip from Tauranga to Lyttelton, set off the emergency locator beacon about 2am while being battered by huge seas and after being knocked down on its side three times.

The Husvale was in danger of being pushed further south by worsening weather and an approaching storm.

The two men, a 33-year-old from Tauranga and a 28-year-old from Napier, were shaken but unhurt by the ordeal.

The Rescue Coordination Centre contacted the Wellington-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter just before 6am.

After fitting an extra fuel tank, the chopper set off for the general area with two pilots, a crewman and a paramedic.

Westpac Rescue Helicopter crewman Dave Greenberg said the distress signal was picked up almost as soon as the helicopter lifted off.

"We were in a very strong northerly and it only took about 30 minutes to get to the area.

"We never spotted them in the big seas but as we went past our radio gear indicated they were behind us, and as we turned the guys set off a flare."

The Husvale was being buffeted by seas around 4 metres high, with the occasional rouge wave coming through as high as 6 metres. Winds were gusting up to 90 km/h.

"Using hand signals we quickly established that there were only two of them on board, they were physically OK and they had no radio communications," said Mr Greenberg.

"We were initially a bit concerned with how the rescue would go without being able to brief them, but they quickly showed us they were extremely competent and knew what they were doing."

The helicopter came in relatively close to the yacht so line could be thrown on deck.

Once the line was on deck the pilot moved into position where the rescue winch lowered a harness, and the yachties pulled the harness in using the line.

"We got the first man off without any difficulty and then lowered the rescue harness a second time," said Mr Greenberg.

"We also attached a note asking the remaining sailor to ensure that the emergency locator beacon was switched off."

Once the emergency beacon was switched off the second man was rescued and the helicopter returned to Wellington with the two men.

"Apparently they were knocked down three times, in big seas, and lost all radio communications," said Mr Greenberg.

"They were being pushed away from shore, another storm was forecast to come through in 24 hours and they knew they would have to abandon the yacht."

The rescued pair will return home today.

Efforts were under way to salvage the yacht, Mr Greenberg said.

- NZPA