Yacht aground, engine running for hours

Police in Whangarei are trying to solve the mystery of a dead yachtsman whose body was found in Whangarei harbour after his yacht was found aground a day earlier some distance away with its engine still running.

The body of Robert Gerard Kelly, 67, from Pipiwai, was found in Whangarei Harbour on Saturday night but his seven-metre yacht had been found empty and hard aground in Parua Bay on the northern side of Whangarei Harbour about 4pm the day before.

Police believe it could have been aground and empty with its engine running for six hours or more before it was found.

It was thought Mr Kelly had taken the yacht out on Friday morning, possibly to give it a run to charge its batteries and was heading back to his mooring in Parua Bay when he fell overboard.

The yacht continued motoring with no one at the helm until it hit the rocks in the bay.

Senior Sergeant Cliff Metcalf from the Whangarei police said it was seen aground by a woman about 10am on Friday but she thought nothing of it until later in the day when she inspected the yacht and found its motor still running.

She called police and when it was boarded by a police officer from a coastguard boat about 4pm, Mr Kelly was missing.

An air and sea search failed to find him on Friday and his body was found the next day.

Mr Metcalf said a post mortem would determine the cause of death but he may have had a heart attack or stroke which could have caused him to fall overboard. He had no physical injuries.

"It looks like he has just gone over the side and the boat has continued on under its own steam. It just carried on until it has run aground," he said.

He said there were no sign of foul play. There was a half-empty cup, the radio was going and Mr Kelly's glasses were on the table.

Mr Metcalf said one local man had told them he had helped Mr Kelly several times in the past when he had fallen out of his boat as he had tried to pick up his mooring.

Mr Kelly was not wearing a lifejacket.

The matter would be referred to the coroner.

- NZPA