The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) rendered assistance during a recent effort to locate a missing boat in Papua New Guinea.
On Sunday, November 30, the Papua New Guinea Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) contacted AMSA requesting search support in locating an overdue boat with six people on board.
The boat departed Kavieng in PNG on Friday, November 28. However, it had not arrived at its destination, the remote Massau Island, approximately 150 kilometres to the northwest of Kavieng.
AMSA deployed its Challenger surveillance aircraft based in Cairns to conduct a radar search of the area where the boat was last sighted.
The AMSA aircrew located the boat adrift on the afternoon (local time) of Monday, December 1. The aircraft then conducted a drop of vital supplies and equipment to the boat.
The MRCC later tasked a National Fisheries Authority vessel to conduct the rescue and bring all six people safely to shore.