Platino rescue - Three crew safely aboard container ship

by Sail-World.com NZL on 14 Jun 2016 Two men and a woman have been rescued from their battered yacht, Platino, around 550 kilometres north of New Zealand by the crew of the container ship Southern Lily.

A rescue line was used to help get the trio safely on board around 3pm. The first attempt for the crew to board the container ship directly failed, and Platino was damaged further as she bounced off the hull of Southern Lily.

The crew were then pulled aboard using ropes thrown from the ship.

An RNZAF P3 Orion resumed searching earlier this morning for a fifth crewman, aged 63, lost overboard after the yacht sustained damage to its rigging yesterday morning around 1100hrs. He is wearing a lifejacket.

The aircraft subsequently took position above the two vessels later this morning, to provide support and communications during the rescue of the three crew from the 20 metre Ron Holland design Platino.

The Orion returned to the search for the missing man around 3pm, once the trio were safely on-board the Southern Lily. His name has not yet been released. Those rescued are the two owners Victoria ('Tory') and Brent ('Harry') McKeogh and friend Ross McKee.

The body of another man who died in the incident remains on board the abandoned yacht, as it could not be safely transferred in the difficult conditions with three metre swells. An EPIRB beacon has been activated on the yacht to aid in tracking its location.

The yacht was abandoned after its condition deteriorated overnight as it lost steering and began taking on water.

The Rescue Coordination Centre NZ (RCCNZ) is coordinating the rescue operation and search for the missing man.

RCCNZ search and rescue mission coordinator John Dickson praised the master and crew of the Southern Lily for what was a difficult operation.

“It was not easy to get the three crew members from the yacht to the much larger ship in those sea conditions – they’ve done a tremendous job.

“We are obviously disappointed that it was not safe to transfer the body of the deceased crew member, but safety must come first. We will keep track of the position of the yacht.

“The search for the missing person has now resumed and will continue until around nightfall when the aircraft must return to New Zealand.”

The Singapore-flagged Southern Lily was en-route to New Zealand. It is now resuming its voyage to Auckland and is expected to arrive tomorrow (Wednesday 15 June) afternoon.

Salvage teams have been instructed, and are expected to leave to find the Platino as soon as weather permits. Wind and sea conditions are expected to abate on Wednesday at about 3.00pm.