Howick News

Howick 2007 Rutherford Trophy Citation

Citation for the Rutherford Trophy For Meritorious Act Incidents: # 1947,1949,1952,1953 Friday 16 February 2007

HOWICK RESCUE 1 departed McMullen & Wing at 1635 after a service and then picked up R Burge from Half Moon Bay.

They received their first job of the afternoon, which was a routine jump-start at Snappers Bay, Motuihe, but turned out to require a tow.

This was interrupted at 1815 by a flare sighting MAYDAY at Omana. After checking that a boat was under tow by a public vessel and being escorted by MARAETAI 1, they returned to complete the tow to Bayswater Marina at 2100.

After refuelling in Pine Harbour Marina at 2200, a flare was sighted in the Tiri / Kawau Isl area. 2330 saw them at Tiritiri Matangi where they secured the distressed vessel and transported it’s occupant to safety at the Marine Rescue Centre by 0130.

During a rest stop at the MRC, they were directed to Coastguard Bay, Rangitoto, to take over a tow by the now stricken LION FOUNDATION RESCUE, which had damaged it’s propellers, and tow the vessel to Westhaven Marina.

After completing the tow and removing kelp from the jet, they arrived at Half Moon Bay Marina at 0410 to refuel and drop off R Burge. At 0435 they were then tasked to a search off Gulf Harbour Marina for a missing person after the boat he was in sank rapidly.

At 0505 they picked up 2 members of Hibiscus Coastguard as extra crew and joined in the search. This continued until 0705 when there was a crew change at Gulf Harbour Marina.

A rescue that went well beyond the "call of duty" and carried out in a highly professional manner in the best traditions of COASTGUARD NEW ZEALAND and HOWICK VOLUNTEER COASTGUARD

The crew of HOWICK RESCUE 1 comprised: Bryan Cartelle, Todd Forsyth, Alan Martin, Ray Burge