Yacht in trouble again after upsetting rescuers

1.00pm

A Dutch yacht which got into trouble off the east coast of Northland on Monday is in trouble again, just hours after an unnecessary search was begun when its crew reported rigging problems.

Hours after its failure to maintain a radio schedule sparked a search and rescue mission yesterday, the 13 metre yacht Raya's crew called maritime authorities again overnight, saying the yacht had engine trouble and asking for a tow into the Bay of Islands port of Opua.

The yacht's situation had annoyed search officials yesterday when it twice failed to keep to an emergency radio schedule.

An Air Force Orion and a coastguard plane searched off the Northland coast but the search was called off when the yacht's crew called the Maritime Operations Centre in Wellington at 6.30pm yesterday, saying it was about 60 nautical miles northeast of Cape Brett which is at the entrance to the Bay of Islands.

National Rescue Co-ordination Centre spokeswoman Amanda Heath said had the crew called on schedule the expensive and time-consuming search and rescue mission would not have begun.

The crew would get a stern talking to when they arrived in Opua, she said.

The yacht crew suggested the radio schedule after their first call on Monday but then ignored it.

Ms Heath said the yacht was heading to Opua and the crew had no idea they had sparked such a big search and rescue operation by failing to keep to the emergency radio schedule.

There was nothing wrong with the yacht's communications and the crew gave no reason for the failure to keep to schedule.

She said a charge under maritime regulations was unlikely although it would be investigated. Nor was it likely the crew would be asked to meet some of the costs of the search.

"We are always glad when someone is found safe and well but the general feeling was that the whole search -- and it was a very big effort -- could have been avoided had Raya maintained its radio schedule as it had agreed to," Ms Heath said

The navy navigation and seamanship training vessel, HMNZS Kahu was heading for the stricken yacht from Northland after being called by the Rescue Co-ordination Centre.

The 91-tonne Kahu was due to rendezvous with the yacht about 4pm today, 45 nautical miles northeast of the Bay of Islands, and tow it into Opua in the Bay of Islands.

The yacht had apparently hove to in the 25 knot southwesterly to await the navy's arrival.

It was not known when Kahu would arrive in Opua but it was expected to make about four knots with the yacht in tow.

- NZPA