Spar may be from ketch

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34041, 3 January 1976, Page 16

Spar may be from ketch

(New Zealand Press Association) GISBORNE, January 2. The police are checking the possibility that wreckage found on a rugged stretch of coast close to the Mohaka River, near Wairoa. is from the ketch Veronica, which disappeared after leaving Gisborne, bound for Lyttelton, on August 16.

A search after a helicopter spotted wreckage yesterday uncovered an 18ft spar with a block attached, two dinghies, and a piece of white wood measuring 6ft by 3ft with brown trimmings and patches of black paint. Inspector P. Wiseman, of Gisborne, said today that the; condition of the block sug-l gested that it had been in use 1

-until recently. The length of the spar suggested a yacht between 30ft and 40ft long. The wreckage might be connected with a Mayday call heard in Wairoa on Tuesday. It might, however, be from the Veronica, whose disappearance led to one of the biggest sea searches in New Zealand’s history and bitter criticism of the Search and Rescue Organisation’s meth- ! ods and attitude by an organisation called Friends of the 'Veronica. “At this stage we are try'ing to find out which boats are missing—we have a long list.” said Mr Wiseman. “The trouble is, many boatowners do not bother to fill in the TO minute* form saying where they are going before they leave.” The search area is about 25 miles south of Wairoa. -and the mixed civilian and police search teams had to walk in after driving as far as possible.