French Pass rescue turns into a 12 hour overnight mission

A demanding French Pass rescue

Coastguard Nelson volunteers spent 12 hours on the water overnight after a fishing vessel ran aground at the narrowest section of French Pass. The French Pass rescue began around midnight when the Maritime NZ Rescue Coordination Centre asked for help.

Early reports said the vessel had taken on a heavy list which threw one person into the water. All five on board made it to nearby rocks. They were cold and shaken but safe.

Fighting the tide to reach the crew

Hohapata Sealord Rescue left Nelson with five volunteers and reached the scene shortly after 2.30am. The crew had to work against the strong and uneven tidal flow that French Pass is known for, which made it hard to hold position close to the rocks.

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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 taken aboard and checked. They were cold but otherwise fine.

Preparing the tow

With the tide pushing through, the grounded vessel floated clear of the rocks. The skipper and engineer climbed back aboard with a Coastguard volunteer to ready the vessel for tow. Once the crew were confident it was safe, Hohapata Sealord Rescue took the vessel under tow for the run to Croisilles Harbour, where divers would assess the hull.

The three people who had been on Hohapata Sealord Rescue were then moved back to their own vessel, and the Coastguard volunteer returned to the rescue boat for the final leg home.

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A long night and a warm welcome

Hohapata Sealord Rescue left Nelson soon after midnight and returned just before 1.00pm, wrapping up a full 12 hour operation.

King said the rescue came down to solid coordination across all involved, including RCCNZ, Maritime Radio, Coastguard Nelson’s crew on the water, and its shore team.

A final touch brightened the end of a long night. Staff from Nelson’s Styx Restaurant turned up at the Coastguard dock with hot bacon and egg butties for the volunteers, a welcome sight after hours of hard work in one of the most demanding stretches of water in the country.