Search continues for missing sailor in Bay of Plenty

by Sail-World on 15 Feb 2012 Maritime Services NZ reports that an aerial, land and on water search is continuing in the Bay of Plenty this morning for missing yachtsman Richard Rusbatch. He has now been missing for over 24 hours.

The Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) began the search for Mr Rusbatch, 56, with assistance from Western Bay of Plenty Police, around 9am yesterday, after a member of the public reported his unmanned 38 foot, single-masted yacht, the Honfleur circling about 11 nautical miles east of Mayor Island.

'Today’s search is focusing on and around Mayor Island and an area out to the east, as this is where our search modelling predicts he is most likely to be' RCCNZ Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator John Ashby said.

'We currently have two LandSAR teams combing Mayor Island for signs of Mr Rusbatch, with a Coastguard vessel searching the shoreline, and a fixed wing aircraft searching an approximately 900 square kilometre area from Mayor Island out to the East.'

Aircraft spent much of yesterday looking for the missing yachtsman, focusing on a large area between Mayor and Motiti Islands. The search continued overnight, with the New Zealand navy vessel HMNZS Pukaki carrying out a shoreline search of Mayor Island with the aid of searchlights, and a search further offshore.

Mr Ashby said evidence indicated it was likely Mr Rusbatch was intending to anchor off Mayor Island in an area called Honeymoon Bay, hence the focus of the search in that area today. Weather conditions in the area remained favourable for searching, he said.

John Ashby said a fixed wing aircraft and helicopter had spent much of yesterday searching a 900 square kilometre area between Motiti and Mayor Islands for signs of Mr Rusbatch. A sea search was also mounted, involving Coastguard and a vessel that has been working on the Rena operation.

John Ashby said the search would continue until dark, yesterday, and would be reviewed overnight to determine whether it should be widened further. The search area had been covered twice by aircraft without sign of the missing yachtsman.

Inquiries are also continuing in an effort to determine whether an unnamed dinghy located by Police last night may have come from the missing yacht.

Western Bay of Plenty Police Area Commander, Inspector Karl Wright-St Clair said an immediate search of the yacht had determined that there was no-one on board. He said the motor was running and the yacht's anchor was dragging in the water.

Inspector Wright-St Clair says Police believe the yacht, left Tauranga for Paihia on Sunday 12 February.

'We would urgently like to hear from anyone who may have seen the yacht since Sunday. Please contact Tauranga Police on 07 577 4300.'