RNZAF Saves Lives in Kiribati
By SQNLDR Kavae Tamariki
A Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K Orion successfully located a 16 ft vessel missing at sea for six days in the seas off Kiribati.
Teenage survivors
The four teenagers (three females and one male) were all well but drifting approximately 50 nautical miles north-west of the island of Tarawa. Their outboard motor stopped due to mechanical problems and the relieved teenagers were all waving frantically to attract the attention of the Orion crew.
The Search and Rescue (SAR) mission was coordinated by the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) in Fiji who sent a request to New Zealand late evening, 21 January 2010.
The RNZAF Orion launched during the early hours of the next morning and found the missing vessel just after an hour of arriving in the 11,000 km search area. A local Patrol Boat provided guidance to the location of the survivors and they were picked up and at approximately 2330 and escorted safely back to land.
After a 20-hour day, the Orion crew departed the search area and spent the night in Vanuatu before returning to New Zealand.
Commanding Officer of No 5 Squadron, Wing Commander Nick Olney reported, “It was a great result to locate survivors in such a vast search area. Our Orion crews are very highly trained and have significant experience in these missions. However, you never really know what you’re faced with until you arrive in the search area.”
WGCDR Olney added, “It’s been a very busy time for No 5 Squadron with aircraft operating from the southern ocean to north of the equator in support of Customs, Fisheries and, in this case, the RCC.”
Letter of Thanks
(Sent to the New Zealand High Commission and forwarded to the RNZAF)
Dear Sir
I would like to sincerely thank yourself, your staff, and the crew of the [RNZAF] Orion for the prompt and efficient response to my boat drifting with my three children and their friend.
Without the assistance of the [RNZAF] aircraft, I doubt they would have been spotted and would have been drifting for several weeks or months until they reached land. This I’m sure would have resulted in a very sad outcome, and would have given those left on land an anxious and mournful experience. Due to your actions, all the other Services were able to coordinate a quick and successful rescue, with the people on board suffering no ill-effects from their ordeal.
They were delivered back to a very grateful family and I cannot thank you enough for your help and the very important assistance of your country.
Yours truly
Derrick Pendle
(Father of the rescued girls)