Coastguard Nelson volunteers spent 12 hours overnight responding to a fishing vessel that ran aground near the narrowest part of French Pass, after being contacted by the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) for assistance.
The urgent call came in at midnight, with reports that the vessel had developed a sharp list (lean) and thrown one person overboard. All five people on board managed to reach the rocks and were safe, but very cold.
Coastguard Nelson’s ‘Hohapata Sealord Rescue’ launched in the early hours with five volunteers and arrived on scene just after 2:30am. The crew worked in very challenging conditions to transfer the five people from the rocks onto Hohapata Sealord Rescue, where all were confirmed to be okay.
“The teamwork and vessel handling skills of Hohapata Sealord Rescue’s crew were certainly put to the test”, said Coastguard Nelson skipper Steve King. “The vessel had to battle French Pass’ notoriously strong currents to get into a position where the fishing vessel’s crew could be safely taken off the rocky shoreline.”
The skipper and engineer were placed back onto the fishing vessel, which had floated free, along with a Coastguard volunteer to help prepare the disabled vessel for towing, after assessing that it was safe to do so. Hohapata Sealord Rescue then took the vessel under tow to Croisilles Harbour for divers to assess any damage. The three crew members who had been on Hohapata Sealord Rescue were then transferred back to their vessel, and the Coastguard volunteer returned to the rescue vessel.
Hohapata Sealord Rescue departed shortly after midnight and was back at base a little before 1:00pm, marking the end of a 12-hour operation.
King added, “As with all rescues like this, a successful outcome only happens as a result of a coordinated team effort - in this case, the Rescue Coordination Centre, Maritime Radio, Coastguard Nelson’s rescue vessel crew and shore-based radio operators. A special shout-out from Hohapata Sealord Rescue’s crew also goes out to the staff of Nelson’s Styx Restaurant, which arrived at the Coastguard dock with hot bacon and egg butties for the crew.”
