The Hawke's Bay Coastguard completed one of the longest tows in its history after a boat with three men on board was disabled in the northeastern extremities of Hawke Bay at the weekend.
The 11-metre craft was reported adrift with gearbox failure off Portland Island on Saturday.
Coastguard spokesman Henry
van Tuel said the rescue craft Celia Knowles and a crew of six launched mid-afternoon and reached the stricken craft by early-evening, to start a nine-hour tow back to Napier, arriving about 1am on Sunday.
"Conditions were very good, pretty flat, very little wind," said Mr van Tuel, who was not among the crew.
He was unable to disclose the identities of the men aboard the rescued boat.
