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A fisherman who had been missing for a week has been found safe by the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Poseidon crew. The unnamed man set off on June 11th for what was supposed to be a one-day fishing trip, sailing from the northern Cook Islands, about 21-hundred miles north of New Zealand, in his 13-foot aluminum rowboat. He failed to return, but finally, on Friday, he was located after being spotted by rescuers.
“Nearby fishing vessels had indicated they were able to pick the man up,” an official release reads. He was reportedly sailing from Pukapuka Island, formerly known as Danger Island, one of the Cook Islands’ most remote islands. When he didn’t make it back on time, local police were notified and New Zealand’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre requested the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s help searching for him.
While the man’s identity hasn’t been confirmed, “Cook Islands News” reported that rescuers were searching for a missing fisherman, 42-year-old Pone Apiuta, in the same area. There had been concerns about rough seas and strong winds, but the missing fisherman who was found appeared to be in good condition despite his week-long ordeal in the tiny boat.
Source: NZ HERALD