Source: Radio New Zealand
The crew member was not sighted after falling overboard. 123RF
A crew member has been lost overboard from a New Zealand-flagged fishing vessel in the Southern Ocean.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission said the person was knocked overboard by a float late on Sunday night.
It said the accident happened on the Mariner about 215 nautical miles east of the Auckland Islands.
Maritime New Zealand said its Rescue Coordination Centre was alerted and provided drift modelling to help the commercial fishing boat and another vessel search for the missing person.
It said the crew member was not sighted again after falling overboard and the search was officially suspended earlier on Tuesday.
Both Maritime New Zealand and the Transport Accident Investigation Commission said they would investigate the incident.
The commission’s chief investigator of accidents, Louise Cook, says it would send investigators to Bluff to gather evidence and interview the vessel’s crew and officials.
“Our initial focus is on evidence that could disappear or change – including recollections that are fresh in people’s minds.
“We’re also interested in the onboard fishing operation, individual design, history, performance, maintenance, and equipment of this vessel.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
