The crew of a container vessel rescued four sailors north of the Australian external territory of Norfolk Island after a yacht struck a whale on Sunday, September 27.
The Australian-flagged yacht Tai Tam began flooding and sinking after the collision, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) said. Its crew abandoned ship and took to a liferaft while roughly 250 nautical miles north of Norfolk Island.
Maritime New Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Centre (RCCNZ) received an emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) alert from Tai Tam at about 13:00 local time time on Saturday, September 26.
RCCNZ sent a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to search for the sailors. The RNZAF aircrew communicated with those on the yacht by two-way radio as nearby vessels diverted to assist.
The rescue position was also southeast of Nouméa, New Caledonia, at a distance of about 185 nautical miles. Seas in the area were reported to be reaching two metres.
The Malta-registered 12,500DWT containership Sofrana Surville operated by ANL Singapore was the first vessel on scene. Its crew brought all four sailors aboard from the raft at about 06:00 on Sunday, after they had spent several hours in it.
The four were reported safe aboard the cargo ship, which took them to the nearest port for disembarkation.
“The crew of the yacht did all the right things, and it was unfortunate to have struck a whale in open water,” said RCCNZ Operations Manager Mike Clulow. “They were well prepared and the early activation of their EPIRB was key to helping get them to safety. It is an excellent reminder that being prepared when going to sea can save your life.”
Clulow thanked the NZDF, rescue coordination centres in Australia and Nouméa, the crew of Sofrana Surville, and a private sailing vessel for their assistance.
