Training flight finds missing yacht Tafadzwa, drifting and damaged

by Sail-World Cruising round-up on 28 Mar 2010 The missing yacht Tafadzwa, for whom the New Zealand search authorities called off a search almost two weeks ago, has been found. A New Zealand Air Force P3 Orion aircraft found the yacht drifting 60 nautical miles west of the Chatham Islands, located about 400 nm east of New Zealand's South Island..

The yacht's main and headsail are rigged, but appeared extensively damaged, and the crew of the Orion were not able to determine if the skipper, South African sailor Paul van Rensburg, was on board. Finding the yacht west of the Chatham Islands means that the yacht had drifted in a south-easterly direction, not north-easterly, as previously thought by searchers.

New Zealand's Rescue Coordination Centre(NZRCC) arranged for a fishing vessel in the vicinity to divert to the Tafadzwa's position to find out if van Rensburg is on board, but when the vessel reached the yacht at around 7.00pm New Zealand time last night, the light was fading and it was considered too dangerous to board the vessel in the prevailing conditions of a three metre swell. They could not raise anyone by shouting, and will attempt a boarding at first light today

The Orion was not searching for the yacht, but found it during a training flight at about 1.45pm today. RCCNZ Search and Rescue mission coordinator Geoff Lunt says an effort would be made to board Tafadzwa on arrival.

The RCCNZ had launched a search for Mr van Rensburg after he was reported overdue from a journey between Tauranga and Gisborne more than two weeks ago. It called off the search after three days, having covered 328,000 sq km of ocean.

After the search was called off by the authorities, family and friends of Mr van Rensburg were raising money for the search to continue privately. They were all convinced that more effort would locate the missing yacht. Paul van Rensburg was known to be an experienced sailor, and had sailed his yacht from South Africa to New Zealand in 2006. Proper safety gear was on board the yacht, including a life raft and an EPIRB, but it had not been set off.

'We don't believe they kept their search going long enough. They cut it off way too early, it's that simple,' said friend Warwick Rowland yesterday. Their immediate concern was whether a life raft could be detected still on the yacht, which might give some clue as to van Rensburg's fate.