Two fishermen, missing since the May 13, have been rescued by the New Zealand Defence Force today.
The Air Force aircraft P-3K2 Orion spotted the two men waving from their 4.5 metre skiff 30 minutes into their planned search of more than 60,000sq km in open sea.
The vessel was adrift about 480km south-east of the island of Nauru.
The aircrew reported the men appeared in good health and dropped them a survival pack of food, water and a radio, before contacting the closest fishing vessel and requesting they pick up the two men.
Assistance to locate the men was requested from the New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre yesterday. The aircraft left Base Auckland at about 7am this morning and arrived at the search area at about 1pm.
"The quick and successful search for the fishermen is great news for their families. We are pleased that we are able to help our Pacific neighbours on these life-saving missions," Air Component Commander Air Commodore Darryn Webb said.
It was the Royal New Zealand Air Force's second successful search and rescue mission in five days.
Last Saturday the Orion found three Kiribati fishermen missing for a week adrift near Tarawa.
The NZDF has deployed the Orion to conduct five search and rescue operations in the Pacific since January, including four to Kiribati.
Newshub.
