Distress Call Not Identified

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30954, 10 January 1966, Page 1

Distress Call Not Identified

(New Zealand Press .4 ssociaf ion >

AUCKLAND, January 9.

A woman’s call for help was received by the Auckland marine radio station today.

The rescue service in the Hauraki Gulf was alerted hut nothing more was heard after the initial message, “help, help,” had been picked up at 10.20 a.m.

: Two boats of the New ZeaI land Coastguard Service searched without success from I the Motuihe Channel to the Moturoa Channel, south of Rangitoto Island. The distress call was one of several received from disabled craft in the Hauraki Gulf during the day. The co-ordinated efforts of aircraft, the police and the Coastguard resulted in a number of boats being towed to safety. Soon after the mysterious distress call, a yachtsman reported a charred hatchcover floating south of Rangitoto Island.

The police launch Deodar investigated and found the cover had been in the water for some time.

Just after noon Captain F. P. Ladd, of Tourist Air Travel. Ltd., flying south of iMotutapu Island, saw some [white planks which could ! have come from a launch.

At 4.10 p.m., another Tourist Air Travel aircraft saw a dismasted 30-foot yacht, later identified as the St. George. The yacht fired a distress flare as the aircraft circled overhead.

On its way to assist, the Deodar was diverted to a 28-foot launch which had broken down between Motutapu and Motuihe. This was towed back to Bayswater.

The yacht was found just after 8 p.m. by the Coastguard auxiliary Barra Dec and towed to Islington Bay, Rangitoto. The launch Marwin was also rescued by the Deodar after breaking down between Brown's Island and Motuihe. The launch’s predicament was reported by Captain Ladd.

The Howick sea rescue craft brough to shore the occupants of a 16ft cabin cruiser which had engine trouble off Ostend.

A 12ft yacht drifting upside down between Rangitoto Island and Mission Bay at 4.30 p.m. was reported to the police late tonight.