AUCKLAND - A boatload of Fijian fishermen and passengers has been found by an Air Force Orion after drifting north of Fiji for 12 days.
The Manu Duatagi left Vanua Levu, north of the main Fijian island on July 12, intending to drop off 10 passengers on another island.
Air force spokesman,
Squadron Leader Ric Cullinane, said the three crew intended to go fishing for four or five days after dropping the passengers.
The alarm was raised after they were reported three days overdue and a Fijian patrol boat failed to find them.
"By the time that was completed 17 days had passed and the Fijians then asked for assistance from No 5 Squadron," Sqdn Ldr Cullinane said.
The Orion left Whenuapai in Auckland at 6am yesterday by which time the search area had grown to 165,000 square kilometres.
Squadron Leader Cullinane said the Orion found the 13-metre wooden boat right in the middle of the search area about 500km northwest of Vanua Levu.
The Orion returned to Nadi to refuel and went back to the stricken boat to co-ordinate the rescue by a Japanese fishing boat, the Shinsei Maru.
"Added to the difficulties of covering such a large search area, we were looking for a relatively small wooden boat which doesn't provide strong radar returns," the Orion captain Wing Commander John Lovatt.
"The crew was delighted to locate the Manu Duatagi with many people on board waving excitedly about 500 kilometres north west of Vanua Levu."
It is not known what caused the boat to break down.
- NZPA
