Grave concerns for missing schooner: UPDATE 9 Latest media release 2 July 2013: 8.00pm An RNZAF P3 Orion has returned to New Zealand this evening after completing a seventh day of searching, without sighting a missing American schooner or its liferaft. The 21m (70ft) Nina was sailing from Opua in the Bay of Islands to Newcastle, Australia, with seven people on board, but has not been heard from since 4 June. The Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) tasked a P3 Orion to conduct an aerial search today of an area south of Norfolk Island measuring 2,100 square nautical miles. RCCNZ mission coordinator Dave Wilson said today’s search has not yielded any fresh information and forecast poor weather is likely to prevent any further aerial searching for the next two days. However, he says RCCNZ will continue to evaluate the available data and consider all possible options for the next steps to take. Mr Wilson said RCCNZ is very concerned for the family and friends who are anxiously awaiting news of the missing vessel and its crew. Extensive ocean and shoreline searches have now covered an area totalling more than four times the size of New Zealand. The P3 Orion was initially tasked to make radar sweeps of broad expanses of the Tasman Sea as far as the Australian coast. Shoreline searches were also conducted from Northland south to New Plymouth. Since Sunday, visual searches have been focused on locating a liferaft, targeting areas identified from detailed modeling of drift patterns from the yacht’s last known position on 4 June. For these searches, the P3 Orion has trained observers on board and travels at low altitude in a tight flight pattern. RCCNZ is liaising with Rescue Coordination Centre Australia (RCC Australia), which is assisting with broadcasts on coastal radio. New Zealand Maritime Radio is continuing to conduct broadcasts in New Zealand’s search and rescue region. Note to media: No updates will be issued until further information becomes available. For further information contact: Maritime New Zealand Media Line Phone 04 499 7318
Posted on: Tue, 02 Jul 2013 12:56:40 +0000
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