Missing yachties: Tongan island to be searched

Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand is coordinating the search for two sailors missing in Tongan waters. Photo / Thinkstock

Searchers will today scour a Tongan island for two men missing after their yacht was wrecked last Thursday night.

Attempts to search the volcanic island of Late, west of Vava'u, have been hampered over the past two days due to high seas with 3m swells.

Aerial and on-water searches have so far failed to find the two Australian men, both in their sixties.

Their 50ft Bavaria yacht Navillus broke up after it ran aground on Thursday.

The pair contacted a relative in Victoria via satellite phone, and an emergency locator beacon was activated at the same time, about 10.30pm.

The yacht's wreckage was found on Friday but extensive searching on the water, as well as an aerial search of over 191 square nautical miles by a RNZAF P3 Orion, failed to find the men.

Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand search and rescue mission coordinator Mike Roberts said a search of the island could take two days.

"The searchers have been landed ashore and they will camp overnight if necessary," he said.

"In addition, we hope to have a vessel do a shoreline search around the island, using kayaks and dinghies, and hopefully also land people ashore.

"It is hoped that further attempts will be made to dive on the wreck of the more significant parts of Navillus which have already been located, to check for the presence of the yacht's dinghy."

- Herald Online staff