Fishermen blown out to sea

Tauranga coastguard were called to rescue three men blown out to sea on a 15ft wooden dinghy when their engine failed outside the harbour near A Beacon yesterday.

With no radio on board, the anchor line wasn't long enough to find the bottom (15-18m depth at A Beacon), and the south westerly wind was blowing at about 30 knots (55km/h).


Photo: File.

A cell phone was used to call 111 for help and TECT rescue reached the area at around 1.40pm, says Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard operations manager Simon Barker.

The crew on board the jet powered rescue powercat couldn't find the white hulled boat in the increasing waves and white caps in blustery offshore conditions.

The men described their position using Rabbit Island and Karewa as landmarks, says Simon.

The TECT Rescue skipper was able to triangulate their suspected position, which by this stage was a further four-and-a-half miles out to sea, where the drifting dinghy was found.

In difficult conditions, including powerful winds, the coastguard crew brought the three men on board and towed the empty dinghy, which regularly became airborne during the slow tow back into the harbour.

The rescued men, who had spent some time in the small boat being blown about in choppy seas, were seasick says Simon.

The coastguard rescue crew did not pass on whether the men were wearing lifejackets, but they did not use flares to indicate their position.

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4 comments

Ho hum!!!!

Posted on 20-07-2015 10:57 | By Jimmy Ehu

The question continuously get asked, why would you even contemplate fishing without shelter with the weather and forecast the way it was?, thanks CoastGaurd and its volunteers once again risking themselves for the sake of the downright stupid!!!, will the rescued 3 be compensating the CoastGaurd ?.


really?

Posted on 20-07-2015 14:41 | By wtf

In a dinghy in this wind and weather. All I can say is ...brainless.


Darwin award

Posted on 20-07-2015 16:37 | By morepork

I couldn't help thinking of the Darwin awards when I read this. http://www.darwinawards.com/darwin/


What?

Posted on 20-07-2015 19:54 | By Feruno

30 Knot winds in a 15' dingy, a dodgy motor , and a short anchor rope . How clever do you need to be???? I bet they wont have to pay rescue costs...


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