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Container ship rescued yacht crew after their boat was sunk by whale
A Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft and crew have located four sailors on the Australian flagged yacht 'Tai Tam' (MMSI: 503081650), that was abandoned after hitting a whale 250 nautical miles north of Norfolk Island. The RNZAF aircraft was tasked by Maritime New Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Centre (RCCNZ) after RCCNZ received an alert from an EPIRB from the 51ft Australian flagged yacht on Sep 26, 2026, at approximately 1 p.m. New Zealand time. The yacht was taking on water after hitting a whale, forcing its four crew members to abandon ship and take to a life raft. The crew on the P-8A established two-way radio communications with the yacht’s crew and vessels in the area that were diverted to assist with the rescue. The sailors spent several hours in the life raft before being rescued on Sep 27 at around 6 a.m. by the crew of the 'Sofrana Surville', enroute from Tauranga to Noumea, which was first on the scene. The four sailors were taken to the nearest port to disembark aboard the container ship. Report with photos: https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/media-centre/news/rnzaf-p-8a-crew-finds-four-sailors-after-yacht-hits-whale/?fbclid=IwT01FWAUl9JRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mBXNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHtyAYrXSUdrKMQqDy4RmWoP_cY3Z9pA84qgzJgGT-pGaZ8-Qt4Q7efq3sAbo_aem_Fic2LJDJxkVDzi8fv0C--A
Two crew members tested positive for COVID 19
Two crew members have tested positive for Covid-19 aboard the 'Sofrana Surville' and thought to be the source of New Zealand's recent community infections. All 19 crew members of the vessel were tested after a New Zealand port worker who had been on the ship tested positive for Covid-19 on Oct 17. Arrangements were now underway to transfer the two crew members who returned with positive Covid-19 results to a hospital ashore. The vessel remained at anchor in pos. 26° 40.60' S 153° 17.17' E, being quarantined off Mooloolaba. The ship was on passage between Noumea and Brisbane when the health alert was raised.
Ship held off Queensland due to corona virus fear
As there are fears the crew of the 'Sofrana Surville' which was anchored off Queensland could be carrying a strain of COVID-19, she was prevented from docking in Brisbane, and was instead anchored off the coast of Mooloolaba on Oct 21, 2020. The 'Sofrana Surville' was originally set to arrive in Queensland, but was anchored off the Sunshine Coast. All 19 crew members on board the vessel were tested by Queensland Health on Oct 20 after an engineer, who worked on-board, tested positive in New Zealand on Oct 17. It was believed he caught the virus while working on the vessel off Auckland on Oct 12 and 13. The crew would also undergo serology testing. The vessel first entered Queensland’s waters on Oct 19, after departing Auckland on Oct 14 and travelling via Noumea on Occt 17. There have been no reports of illness on board.”
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