New Zealand boaters advised to carry flares
06/11/2019
New Zealand boaters have been advised to carry flares by the police.
Detective Paul Overton made the call after a rescue involving a couple who did not have flares and had also not filed a trip report, so it was not known where they were, reports the New Zealand Herald.
The couple’s 3.9m tinnie capsized early one October morning in a fishing trip off the northern end of Tokerau Beach, on the Karikari Peninsula.
Mangonui Senior Constable Tim Murdock said the duo were both wearing lifejackets and managed to cling to the side of the upturned vessel.
A member of the public on the shore saw the stricken vessel, launched a boat and rescued them, but not before a Search and Rescue team began preparing for a plane and rescue helicopter to start an aerial search.
Northland Regional Council harbourmaster Jim Lyle advised boaties to give their craft a once-over before launching for the summer season, including a check of safety equipment.
The image, from Flickr, of Tokerau Beach is by Andrew Lynch and is reproduced under Creative Commons.
