The bodies of five seaman and the 20 survivors from the sinking of a Korean fishing boat in the Southern Ocean arrived in Bluff last night.

A couple were forced to spend a 'tough' night out in the open after abandoning their boat in rough seas off southern Fiordland.

It's now feared more than 50 asylum seekers drowned when their wooden boat smashed onto rocks on Christmas Island.

The search for 17 fishermen missing in the Southern Ocean has been suspended as no further survivors are expected.

Five people are dead and 17 missing after a Korean fishing vessel sank in the freezing waters of the Southern Ocean, 2700km south east of Bluff, early this morning.

An inquiry has laid blame on both anti-whaling vessel Ady Gil and a Japanese whaling ship for their Southern Ocean crash earlier this year.

A Kiwi spent 12 hours in shark-infested waters after falling overboard while sailing solo from the Gold Coast to Cairns.

A 22-year-old New Zealand man has been arrested over the death of an 11-year-old girl in a boating accident in England.

Footage from the storm-battered Pacific Sun has emerged showing those on board hanging on for their lives as they dodge waves of furniture.

Two boaties were injured - but miraculously survived - when their launch was cut in two and sucked under the Waiheke ferry.

Police piecing together the fatal last minutes of the sunken trawler Oyang 70 are hoping to finish interviews with the surviving crew this week.

Crew of the Amaltal Atlantis rubbed warmth into the bodies of the rescued fisherman and gave up their clothing to keep them warm.