Seven survivors from a ferry that went missing in the Pacific a week ago were rescued yesterday after being found adrift in a dinghy by a New Zealand search plane.
The 17m (56ft) ferry the MV Butiraoi had 50 people on board when it was reported missing on January 20, two days after it left Nonouti on a 250km (155-mile) trip to Betio. Both are part of Kiribati, an island nation made up of 33 atolls.
Sea conditions were “moderate to rough”, said John Ashby, from the New Zealand Rescue Co-ordination Centre. “We understand the vessel underwent repairs to its propeller shaft just before it departed. This may have contributed to problems navigating the journey,” he added. The New Zealand Air Force sent a patrol aircraft to search the area and found the survivors adrift more than 180km from the nearest large island on Saturday morning. They dropped aid supplies including water, food and a radio for the survivors. A fishing vessel was diverted to pick them up.
The five-metre dinghy was one of two believed to have been carried by the MV Butiraoi. A baby was among the seven survivors, authorities said. There was no time to gather an engine or supplies when they took to the rescue boat and the survivors had reportedly been at sea without food or water for four days.