Searching for, and rescuing people is a demanding task that occurs in all locations and weather.
The people who volunteer their time and skills to do so - and those who support them - often receive little public recognition.
The 2016 New Zealand Search and Rescue (NZSAR) Council's awards were announced in a ceremony at Parliament last night to acknowledge those people.
The 5 Squadron RNZAF and MV Southern Lily captain Shashi Prakash were awarded a Certificate of Achievement for their rescue 550km off Northland's coast in June last year.
On the morning of June 13, a crew member on board the Platino was killed after being hit by the yacht's boom, which had been damaged in heavy seas. Another crew member was lost overboard.
The three remaining crew could not attend to their friend on the deck or attempt a search for the man overboard because the boom was swinging violently back and forth across the deck.
They activated their distress beacon, about 300 nautical miles northwest of New Zealand.
An RNZAF Orion aircraft was in the region and arrived on scene within 90 minutes of the
distress alert.
After providing communications and reassurance to the Platino crew, it searched
for the man overboard.
In the hostile conditions overnight the yacht had been dismasted, with the rigging hanging in the water compromising the hull's integrity. She began slowly taking on water.
The crew decided to abandon the yacht.
The 145m container ship Southern Lily, under the command of captain Shashi Prakash, was 175 nautical miles from the Platino and diverted to assist. It took the ship 14 hours to reach the stricken yacht.
Upon arrival, it tried to go alongside the yacht and provide a lee, allowing the Platino crew to climb rope ladders.
In the extreme weather conditions, and with the yacht thrashing against the ship and sustaining further damage, the attempted rescue was abandoned.
As the Platino began taking on more water it became clear that immediate evacuation was vital.
The ship's crew, employing superior seamanship skills, again attempted to come alongside the yacht and effect a rescue, knowing they had to succeed.
All three surviving crew members safely clambered aboard the ship and were transported back to New Zealand.
In extremely difficult circumstances this rescue relied on communication, planning
and commitment by all those involved in the rescue.