Whanganui MP Chester Borrows is concerned the air force was not called to a search and rescue mission on the weekend when a man died waiting for help.
Geoffrey Mark Hampton, 19, was on a fishing trip with his father, Alan Hampton, 44, and Duncan Powell, 32, when
their boat sank on Saturday night.
The trio were plucked from the water south of the Whanganui River mouth early Sunday after 11 hours in the water.
Search and rescue found Geoffrey Hampton dead in the arms of his father. Mr Hampton and Mr Powell were suffering from hypothermia.
Police were the main agency for the search while the Rescue Coordination Centre was involved with a search plan.
Mr Borrows said he was surprised the air force was not called.
It took 10 hours to rescue the men and the Ohakea air force base was a two-minute flight away, he said.
"I understand they (the airforce) have night vision and winching equipment."
Mr Borrows said the initial size of the search area may have been the reason the airforce helicopter was not called.
"Having said that, knowing the capabilities of what was available it was probably worth having a look, or at least contacting the Iroquois base at Ohakea and finding out what they thought," he said.
Mr Borrows said he would be contacting police, the Rescue Coordination Centre and the air force to ensure the safety of Wanganui residents was not being put at risk.
Concerns at the oversight were initially raised by the airforce, Mr Borrows said.
"That tends to indicate there is an issue there that needs some probing.
"It's my job as local MP to put my hand up and say `well ok, tell us the whole story, why weren't they used'."
Mr Borrows said plans to prevent a similar incident would be discussed at a debriefing at the Wanganui police station on Monday night.
- NZPA
