No one on board damaged yacht washed ashore

Photo / Duncan Brown

A badly damaged yacht found washed up on Wellington's south coast this morning had broken free of its mooring with no one on board, police say.

A patrolling vessel found the broken up 9.1m catamaran yacht just north of Ohau Point about 11am, Paul Curd of the police maritime unit in Wellington said.

The Australian owned vessel had previously broken free of its moorings and ran aground at Durville Island in the Marlborough Sounds, he said.

It had been towed to safety but broke free again and ended up on rocks on the island.

Before it could be secured again a storm swept the yacht out to sea, Mr Curd said.

It had not been seen until today.

Police had contacted the owner in Australia, who confirmed no one had been on board, he said.

- NZPA