Source: Radio New Zealand
The men were equipped with lifejackets, two forms of communication and had not drunk any alcohol. 123RF
The rescue of two men stranded on a boat in Fiordland has prompted warnings to other boaties about the need to be prepared.
The pair were on a fishing and diving trip south of Milford Sound when their 6.4 metre recreational boat broke down on Saturday night.
Emergency SOS messages from their phones were picked up by the iPhone Emergency Comms Centre in the Netherlands, which then alerted New Zealand Police.
Marine VHF radio broadcasts were then put out by Maritime NZ every hour, requesting assistance from any potential vessels in the area.
These broadcasts went unanswered until Sunday morning, when a boatie heard the call for help.
At the time, police and family members were arranging a float plane to fly replacement batteries to the stranded men.
But the fisherman and his three passengers went to the pair’s rescue and were able to tow the stricken vessel about 50 kilometres back to Milford Sound.
Invercargill Police search and rescue coordinator Sergeant Dougall Henderson said the men were equipped with lifejackets, two forms of communication and had not drunk any alcohol.
“Although the boys were well prepared… the incident highlights how difficult assistance can be if you have a mechanical failure or emergency situation,” he said.
“It is a timely reminder of the golden rules of boating particularly in isolated areas like Fiordland.”
Police outlined outlined several key guidelines for boaties.
They included: always wearing lifejackets; ensuring two forms of communication on board, including a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) or Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB); checking the weather forecast, avoiding alcohol; ensuring others know where you are headed; and ensuring you had an auxiliary motor.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
