The crew of a Royal New Zealand Navy ship has pulled off an unexpected rescue mission, going to the aid of a battered outrigger while participating in an exercise off Hawaii.
With six passengers aboard, the outrigger came into trouble when it was hit by rough seas and 35-knot winds in the Kaiwi Channel, between the islands of Oahu and Molokai.
"With broken mast fittings and taking on water, the skipper of the outrigger broadcast a Mayday call," a New Zealand Defence Force spokesperson said.
HMNZS Te Mana was four miles away, participating in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) – the world's largest international maritime warfare exercise.
The frigate acknowledged the call and "responded immediately".
The rough seas made the outrigger difficult to see, so the crew used electro-optical/infrared cameras to track it.
An inflatable boat was lowered and closed in on the stricken vessel within 15 minutes of the Mayday call.
Crew on Te Mana were prepared to receive the rescued sailors, but they were instead transferred to a local vessel that had also arrived.
"A fast, professional response from our sailors to an incident that had the real potential to become life-threatening," the NZDF spokesperson said.
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