3 Fijians rescued after being lost at sea for 9 days

Three Fijians have been rescued about 277.8km north-west of Yasawa I Rara after being lost at sea in their 8.5 metre wooden fishing boat for 9 days.

The Republic of Fiji Navy says in a coordinated effort between Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand, New Zealand Airforce, Pacific Climate Change Centre and Fishing vessel Lu Rong YU 328, Rescue Coordination Centre Fiji, the RFNS Kikau was able to successfully rescue the three.

The fishermen were located by Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon crew on Wednesday at around midday.

The Fishermen aboard the “Lewa” left Lautoka planning to go fishing at Nanuya Island in the Yasawa Group for up to two weeks but their boat encountered engine problems and was drifting at sea.

The NZ Defence Force says the last known contact was on 2nd October, when they reported engine issues.

They say they were carrying life jackets and flares but had no locator beacons or communications equipment other than a mobile phone, which was believed to have run out of battery.

They say another fishing boat searched for the Lewa over several days but this search, in poor weather conditions, was unsuccessful.

The Poseidon crew launched its search after the Rescue Coordination Centre Fiji requested assistance.

Maritime New Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Centre Manager of Operations, Michael Clulow says his team provided location data that gave the Poseidon crew the highest probability of finding the missing crew.

He says their team conducted detailed analysis that included data from nine days of oceanic currents and weather to identify a search area using computer modelling.

Clulow says the search area was large due to the amount of time the fishing boat had been drifting, but they were able to provide the P-8A crew an area to search, which is where the vessel was found.

They say the Poseidon crew began the radar and visual search on Wednesday morning and found the fishing boat in the afternoon.

NZ Defence Force says they contacted nearby vessels for assistance in rescuing the fishermen from the Lewa, and remained in the vicinity until a rescue vessel was close enough for them to be rescued. Air Component Commander, Air Commodore Andy Scott says it was a challenging search over a large area given the nine days since the fishermen were last in contact, however the excellent search data provided by Maritime New Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Centre and the manner in which the fishermen had prepared themselves to survive at sea led to this successful outcome.

He says the P-8 is proving itself a highly effective and responsive asset to support the people of New Zealand and their Pacific neighbours, and was no doubt an incredibly welcome sight for the people on board the fishing vessel.

The Fiji Navy has acknowledged the support of RCC New Zealand and NZDF and also to the owners and agents of Lu Rong YU 328 who went out of the way to support this search and rescue mission.