Fish 0 Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-paci ... cken-yacht Yacht half way back from Tonga, 2 POB, knocked down and not happy, activated EPIRB, airforce planes been up and made contact, rotating planes up and back, diverting other boats for assistance. Weather sounds bouncy. Link to post Share on other sites
Grinna 2 Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Hope they've got their swiss army lifejackets. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Pretty mean looking low in that area so looks like a rough night for these folks. Link to post Share on other sites
Fish 0 Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 Strewth updated information on the same link above, a second, unidentified beacon has been activated not far from Tonga in the same general area. "RCCNZ was also investigating another distress beacon from an unknown source which was activated about 5am today about 230km southwest of Tonga" "The 43-year-old Auckland woman and a 52-year-old Australian-based British man on board were understood to have received mild to moderate head injuries when the yacht rolled. The man also had a back injury, RCCNZ said. " “The two people aboard have secured themselves in the stern section of the yacht,’’ search and rescue mission coordinator Keith Allen said. The Fench have now also sent an aircraft, and the HMNZS Otago is preparing to depart from the Huaraki Gulf to provde assistance, expected to take 35 to 40 hrs to get there. I sounds on the serious side of things to warrant deploying a vessel from NZ Link to post Share on other sites
Fish 0 Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 Hope our warship can make it without dropping a conrod Link to post Share on other sites
1paulg 17 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 not a nice way to end a Pacific cruise ...hope all works out well Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Fark me!!! That sent the heart racing, Sailfish and his wife are on the way back from there also but it isn't them....... Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Strange that they didn't just fly on to the other beacon. I would have thought that would have been within their fuel range. An Orion came in about an hr ago and just lifted off again now. A quick turn around. I imagine that would be the one as the other is doing night flying training at the mo. Link to post Share on other sites
Fish 0 Posted November 8, 2012 Author Share Posted November 8, 2012 That plane was refueling and heading off to find the other beacon Wheels "An air force Orion reached the yacht about 1am today. The plane had been able to communicate with the Windigo, and had dropped a liferaft. It returned to New Zealand to refuel and was heading to investigate the second distress beacon" I'm not sure why the Orion bothered to drop a liferaft when they have one onbaord anyway, and they state its safer to stay on the boat, picking one up from the sea around the yacht would be more risk than its worth. Link to post Share on other sites
smithy09 50 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 I wonder if the other beacon was these guys? 4 Crazy Russians sailing around the world in an inflatable catamaran. These pics taken outside Trader Jacks in Raro last week. They were on their way to Tonga.... Link to post Share on other sites
smithy09 50 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 According to their sponsor's web site they arrived... Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Hope it's not a KIWI delivery for the charter companies, they usually only allow 2 people to bring them front to NZ. Crew trying to gain sea miles for a commercial ticket - no pay. Although Tonga internet is extremly slow especially at Vau Vau there is still no excuse in not obtaining a weather forecast and view a isobar map before leaving and be in contact with russell radio daily. Especially with all the extensive weather sites available NOW !!! Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Hope it's not a KIWI delivery for the charter companies, they usually only allow 2 people to bring them front to NZ. Crew trying to gain sea miles for a commercial ticket - no pay. Although Tonga internet is extremly slow especially at Vau Vau there is still no excuse in not obtaining a weather forecast and view a isobar map before leaving and be in contact with russell radio daily. Especially with all the extensive weather sites available NOW !!! Call the men in white coats someone. I agree with this post Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 That plane was refueling and heading off to find the other beacon Wheels Yeah, but what I meant was I thought they would have enough fuel to cover both situations. Or even fuel up in Tonga or ?? It's a long way to come home and go back and a lot of time for someone hoping to have help from their Beacon activation. Don't anyone take this wrong though, it is a "I wonder why" and nothing else. I expect they had very good reason. Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Arr and yes the good reason is....Media not giving all the info. The Plane did sort out the other beacon. A Fishing boat that lost power and needed a tow. The Orion is flying back to stand watch over Windigo till about 7 tonight and a vessel is underway to hopefully meet the Yacht. Link to post Share on other sites
Fish 0 Posted November 8, 2012 Author Share Posted November 8, 2012 Arr and yes the good reason is....Media not giving all the info. The Plane did sort out the other beacon. A Fishing boat that lost power and needed a tow. The Orion is flying back to stand watch over Windigo till about 7 tonight and a vessel is underway to hopefully meet the Yacht. Thats good to hear, that it is not another yacht with people known on here. The reporting all seems a little slow and only mildly reliable. The beacon and searching had been going on for some time before the story appeared on the internet, all with the rather dramatic headline to grab Joe Average's attention "NZ Woman Addrift in Stricken Yacht" as opposed to something more factual and less sensational. Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 It's a huge annoyance to me that Media is nothing about actual news information anymore, rather that it is pure sensationalism to "entertain" people. Is it that the general public are now so sad that they need to be "entertained" while watching/reading of someone in Peri? It is a pity that we can't go to (say in this Yacht situation), the Rescue co-ordination centre website and see exact updates as to what is happening. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 This may seem harsh (NO apologies!). A 4 engine turboprop uses about $9,000 in fuel an hour. We have already seen the erosion of the right to sail for foreign destinations (Cat 1 cert= $30,000 worth of safety gear) without extensive vessel inspections. More vessels floundering for whatever reason is only going to increase the pressure of the non yachting tax payers to put a halt to those who dare to face the elements. Really there is no clear answer other than it doesn't happen everyday and those that do hit the red button usually do so as the waves are washing over the liferaft! I think there is a "golden rule", put to sea expecting NO ONE to help you. A time comes in a storm to quit trying to out run it, mount the para-anchor and batten down the hatches. Enough pontificating from me. Having survived cyclone David on a yacht in the late 70's, I am thankful that smelly old fart of a skipper new exactly what he was doing. Link to post Share on other sites
erice 732 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 That plane was refueling and heading off to find the other beacon Wheels Yeah, but what I meant was I thought they would have enough fuel to cover both situations. Or even fuel up in Tonga or ?? It's a long way to come home and go back and a lot of time for someone hoping to have help from their Beacon activation. Don't anyone take this wrong though, it is a "I wonder why" and nothing else. I expect they had very good reason. they may have swapped crews, or picked up a spare pilot and nav? hopefully an orion would use less fuel when it shuts down it's 2 outer engines for an extended loiter 50 years old this year! http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stor ... n-service/ all good trained for sub hunting, now the chinese are developing their nuc standoff sub fleet the usa will be wanting to keep track of them once they leave asia and good PR after flying those oxygen canisters around on airNZ http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20121107f1.html Link to post Share on other sites
Wannabe 0 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 I am very interested to know the name of this boat. I was having drinks with all the boaties in Tonga 2 weeks days ago as we all said our farewells and set sail home. I was delivery crew aboard a 60' cat and we just cleared customs yesterday morning. We've been in regular radio comms with all the various boats via the Pacific Drifters Net. I'm home now, no SSB, so my communication lines are all a bit 'cut'... a bit sad. (Anyone wanna sponsor me a HF SSB radio for home? ) Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.