Fisherman’s ordeal in drifting boat

Press, 20 November 1978, Page 2

Fisherman’s ordeal in drifting boat

PA ■ Napier A Waipukurau fisherman, Roy Cane, was resting at the week-end, lucky to be alive after a day-long ordeal at sea. Mr Cane put to sea off the central Hawke’s Bay coast in his 7m crayfish boat El Dorado about 5 a.m. on Friday. The first trouble came about. 1 p.m. when, only 100 m off shore from Porangahau, the motor failed, and Mr Cane drifted fast out to sea. He sent out a Mayday call, received by Mr and Mrs L. McHardie on their farm at Omakere. Then followed a sevenhour search which involved at least four private or comm e r c i a 1 aircraft, an R.N.Z.A.F. Devon, and several fishing craft. The trawler Bounty took the El Dorado in tow about 8.40 p.m. — but the El Dorado which had been taking in water most of the afternoon, keeled over and sank in the heavy seas soon after the tow line was established.

| The Bounty, on a delivery 'voyage to Napier from Nelson, arrived in port at Napier about 5.30 a.m. on Saturday. Mr Cane collapsed isoon after stepping ashore, jand was taken to the Napier! 'Hospital. He was treated and later discharged. ; i Mrs Cane said that her! husband was exhausted after! the ordeal. , Mr Cane has lost his boat! iand most . of his gear. His! 'wife estimated the boat !could cost up to $15,000 to replace, but said it was insured. i Sea rescues are nothing [new to Mr Cane, who has 'been fishing since 1967. In 1 lone incident, his boat cap-i sized off the Wairarapa I coast while in another, the I motor of a boat exploded. | | The search for the E! Do-1 |rado involved a complex I (network of radio and tele-, [phone communication. The McHardies, after receiving 'the initial call, telephoned ithe Waipawa police who in (turn notified the Napier! Search and Rescue Organisa--Ition headquarters. i

As the search went on for more than six hours, the McHardies kept in touch with Mr Cane. The search was handed over to the National Search and Rescue headquarters at Wellington, and the McHardies had also to keep in touch there to update Mr Cane’s position. A privately owned helicopter joined the search but extremely rough conditions forced it to land. Just as searchers were resting after leaning that Mr Cane had been safely taken aboard the Bounty, they were alerted to another search area about 10km off Tangoio, north of Napier, after the sighting of a flare about 8.50 p.m. Two Napier Aero Club aircraft which had just returned from the earlier search then went into the area and two more flares were sighted. This search was resumed at first light on Saturday but called off when there was no evidence of any craft being in difficulties in the area.