A shoreline search today for the crew of the historic American schooner Nina, missing en route from the Bay of Islands to Newcastle, Australia, has been unsuccessful.

New Zealand experts searching for a yacht missing at sea with seven crew hold grave concerns for their safety, but have not given up hope.

A NZ meteorologist took the last call from seven people aboard an American racing yacht missing in the Tasman: "The weather's turned nasty, how do we get away from it?"

The families of two fishermen who drowned at Lake Arapuni say they may never know how their loved ones came to grief.

A man has been taken to hospital after a collision between a ferry and a water taxi near Princes Wharf at Auckland's waterfront.

A cone of silence has descended on all teams as they contemplate how to react to one of the biggest crises faced by the event in its 162-year history.

Artemis could yet make it to the start line of the 34th America's Cup in July even as the shock of Andrew Simpson's death continues to reverberate throughout the sailing fraternity.

A fisherman drowned and a kite-surfer may be lost at sea after two searches off the coast of Taranaki yesterday afternoon.

Safety fears were raised months ago over the super-fast yacht in which Olympic gold-medallist Andrew Simpson died, it was revealed last night.

A 64-year-old South Wairarapa woman died while snorkelling with her husband on Monday near Martinborough.

A push is being made for Cape Kidnappers beach warning signs to be done in several languages in an attempt to avoid a repeat of a Friday night rescue from a beach isolated by the rising tide.

Severe weather which hit the Bay of Plenty over the weekend, including swells of up to four metres at Astrolabe Reef, have caused the release of plastic beads from a damaged container in the sunken stern of the Rena.

A fisherman rescued from his sinking boat on Friday had survived a similar incident three years ago.

Divers have joined the search for a 73-year-old yachtie who went missing in mysterious circumstances last night.

A New Zealander rescued from a stricken yacht in the middle of the Pacific Ocean has been left penniless after thieves stripped her vessel when it washed up in Australia.

A woman has fed herself and held her children for the first time since a surfing accident left her paralysed.

An anxious mother cried tears of gratitude and relief after her 12-year-old son was dragged from the surf in a dramatic rescue at Napier's Marine Parade yesterday.

The father of a 12-year-old boy who was swept out to sea in heavy surf in Napier has thanked rescuers for forming a human chain that saved his son's life.

The difficulties in getting foreign vessels to adhere to NZ standards before going out to sea has been highlighted by a coroner's report into the sinking of Oyang 70.