The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter remained in Hastings overnight and in the morning joined a search over the ocean, where it had been reported a fishing vessel crew member had gone overboard (11km offshore of Waimārama) about 8pm on Monday. Joining fellow rescue helicopters, Coastguard Hawke’s Bay, the NZ Defence Force and support vessels, the team conducted three search cycles – each of nearly two hours – hot refuelling between search periods. They were stood down just before 3pm and left for Gisborne an hour later. In the interim, a rescue helicopter was seconded from Taupo to undertake a mission to Tokomaru Bay (dispatched 1pm), with the patient brought to Gisborne Hospital.
Help us save
lives like ‘s