Orion assists stricken Tongan vessel.

[corsair67]

Excellent work 5SQN - another job well done.


Orion locates stricken fishing boat off Tonga
NZPA | Wednesday, 1 August 2007


A New Zealand air force Orion last night located a fishing boat off the coast of Tonga after an emergency beacon on the boat was activated.

The Tongan boat, with four people on board, was about 70km northeast of Tonga when the beacon was activated yesterday evening.

Maritime NZ spokesman Ross Henderson said this morning the Orion had found the boat and was liaising with another fishing boat in the area to organise possible assistance.

Mr Henderson said it was too early to tell what problems the boat had encountered.

"We are waiting to hear back from the Orion at the moment to find out where things are at," he said.

The beacon was registered to the boat's owner and meant Maritime NZ was able to get details about the boat, crew and what equipment was on board.

Mr Henderson said there appeared to be some difficulties establishing radio contact with the boat.

The area in question is within New Zealand's search and rescue region

[flyjoe180]

A crew aboard a fishing boat adrift off the coast of Tonga is unable to start the vessel's engines.

A rescue operation is underway after the four Tongan men triggered an emergency beacon about at 8pm Tuesday near Vava'u.

The Rescue Coordination Centre says an RNZAF Orion has dropped a radio to the crew.

It says there is a problem with the boat's battery and the crew is now awaiting help from another Tongan fishing vessel, due to reach the area at 2am Thursday.

www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest/200708011110/stricken_fishing_boat_crew_unable_to_re-start_engines

[corsair67]

$80 to replace the battery vs $10 000 spent spending an RNZAF Orion to find you?

[flyjoe180]

Yes, the maths are not hard to do on this one are they, but an ELT going off is a case of asking questions later. Could have been more serious.