A twelve-hour overnight operation tested the skills and stamina of Coastguard Nelson volunteers after a fishing vessel ran aground at the narrowest section of French Pass. The call for help came from the Maritime NZ Rescue Coordination Centre at around midnight, setting in motion a demanding rescue in notoriously difficult waters.
Initial reports from the scene were serious. The vessel had taken on a heavy list, throwing one person into the water, and all five people on board had made it to nearby rocks. Cold and shaken, they were at least safe.
Fighting the tide to reach the crew
Hohapata Sealord Rescue departed Nelson carrying five volunteers and arrived on scene shortly after 2.30am. What greeted the crew was exactly what French Pass is known for: strong, uneven tidal currents that made holding position close to the rocks extremely difficult. Staying near enough to carry out a safe recovery demanded constant effort from everyone aboard.
Skipper Steve King said the conditions forced the crew to work at their best.
“The teamwork and vessel handling skills of Hohapata Sealord Rescue’s crew were certainly put to the test. The vessel had to battle French Pass’ notoriously strong currents to get into a position where the fishing vessel’s crew could be safely taken off the rocky shoreline.”
All five were brought aboard and checked over. Despite the cold and what they had been through, all were otherwise fine.
With the tide pushing through the pass, the grounded vessel floated clear of the rocks. The skipper and engineer returned aboard their vessel, joined by a Coastguard volunteer, to ready it for tow. Once the team were confident it was safe to move, Hohapata Sealord Rescue took the vessel under tow toward Croisilles Harbour, where divers would assess the hull.
The three people who had been travelling aboard Hohapata Sealord Rescue were then transferred back to their own vessel. The Coastguard volunteer returned to the rescue boat for the final leg home.
Hohapata Sealord Rescue had left Nelson shortly after midnight and did not tie up again until just before 1.00pm, wrapping up a full twelve hours on the water. King said the outcome reflected solid coordination across all involved, crediting RCCNZ, Maritime Radio, the on-water crew, and the Coastguard Nelson shore team.
Staff from Nelson's Styx Restaurant turned up at the Coastguard dock with hot bacon and egg butties for the returning volunteers. After hours of hard work in some of the most demanding water in the country, it was a welcome sight.
