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The bodies of three fishermen who were reported lost while chasing bluefin tuna have been found washed ashore in New Zealand.
The bodies were found on the shoreline near Mahia, south of Gisborne, on the east coast of the North Island on Wednesday morning.
The group disappeared on Monday, but rescue efforts – including the coastguard and defense forces – were hampered by treacherous weather.
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The cargo ship’s crew spotted two people in the water on Tuesday afternoon, according to Maritime NZ, which said they were “unable to rescue them due to dangerously difficult weather conditions” with 6m waves and 50 knot winds.
“The vessel attempted to provide the men with all available lifesaving materials that they could throw overboard, including life rings and debris,” Rescue Coordination Center general manager Justin Allen said.
An NZDF P-8A Poseidon dropped a life raft into the sea in the area later on Tuesday afternoon before the search was called off at nightfall.
Police announced the discovery of the bodies early Wednesday.
“Official identification is ongoing, but these are believed to be the fishermen reported missing on Monday,” police said.
Gisborne-based Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club president Roger Faber said the fishermen were part of a group, including himself, that set out on Monday expecting better weather.
“Over the weekend … we caught a nice bluefin off Gisborne,” he told Radio New Zealand.
“The forecast was for 5 knots of wind all day, it was definitely a weather window … a couple of guys went fishing and we all socialized with each other.
“Unfortunately, the weather was not as forecast. We expected it to get better, it didn’t get better, it got worse.
“We tried to contact the missing boat … when we got back to the boat ramp and found their trailer was still there, that’s when our concerns went up and we raised the alarm.”
Faber said the trio were members of the club, experienced at sea, well known and respected.
“The whole community, Whannow and friends are really hurt by this news … it was the worst thing that could have happened,” he said.
The storm has flooded the Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne and Tairawiti regions, forcing evacuations in some coastal communities.
A number of highways in the region have been closed due to flooding and landslides, including the key SH35 route, with crews also struggling to restore power to a number of areas.
The same region was worst hit in Cyclone Gabriel in February last year, with nine people dead amid widespread damage to property and infrastructure.
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