The most dangerous and complicated sea rescue operation yet performed by the Hawke's Bay Coastguard ended successfully in the early hours of Saturday morning.
A 20-hour effort involved the Coastguard, police and commercial vessels bringing in safely a broken down fishing launch and its two crew. The seamen, one who was knocked unconscious, were rescued but the boat was eventually abandoned, washing up north of Waimarama on Saturday.
The incident began shortly before 7am on Friday when 16.76m launch Geisha, which was being taken from Picton to Auckland via Napier, started taking on water and lost power south of Cape Kidnappers.
Two vessels manned by Coastguard crew were dispatched to help the struggling launch, the engines were eventually restarted and an attempt to reach Napier at low speed began. But engine problems persisted and it failed completely about midday, still 20 nautical miles from Cape Kidnappers.
Commercial fishing boat Lord Nelson responded to the emergency and started towing Geisha at 3pm.
Rapidly deteriorating weather - including 4m swells and 100km/h winds - made progress slow and after the tow rope broke for the third time it was decided to evacuate and abandon Geisha.
That call was made by coastguard Henry van Tuel who assumed control of Geisha after its captain was knocked unconscious when a particularly heavy wave struck the vessel. He and another volunteer had been on board since early in the day.
He said the conditions early on were "manageable" but progressively worsened.
After the tow rope broke for the third time, and with the safety barrier at the bow also loose, he said it was too dangerous to try and re-attach.
"After we got it re-attached the second time I said we'd have to give it real consideration whether we did it again. Then it broke again. Bugger.
"At that stage the skipper had a head injury and the swell was at 3m. We'd taken a few big ones. I said I was not prepared to put someone over the side for a boat."
Staying on board was not an option either.
"The reality was we couldn't re-attach the line, were two miles off shore and we were going to fetch up on the beach. There's not much sand there, it's all rock."
Another commercial boat, Moonshadow 2, and the Port of Napier pilot vessel Pania were also on hand by then.
An inflatable rescue boat from Moonshadow 2 was pulled over to Geisha, the first coastguard officer boarded, pulled the injured skipper over followed by the crewman.
Mr van Tuel was the last to leave. They were pulled aboard Lord Nelson which reached Napier at 2am Saturday.
He said during the event he tried to keep the mood "normal and low level" but he later realised how big of an effort it was.
"I had to step forward, I was confident in my ability."
He said backed up by top land and sea teams he was always certain a good result - no loss of life - would be achieved.
Hawke's Bay Coastguard spokesman Dick Hilton said 13 volunteers were at sea at various times during the rescue, and many more at the control centre.
"It was the biggest operation Hawke's Bay has done, with that weather and risks," he said.
"We've rescued more people and had more tragedy, but it would be the biggest for the time and complications.
"To come along that coastline with that weather forecast was not very wise.
"I get a bit annoyed when people need so much help, they needn't have done that."
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