The owner of a fishing boat smashed on rocks off the Northland coast had just stepped off a plane from London to hear the devastating news.
David Moore returned to New Zealand yesterday to learn that one of his fishing vessels Ben Dearg was wrecked on rocks at Te Arai Point, south of Mangawhai Heads. It was unlikely it could be salvaged. "I've just got off the plane and still trying to fathom what has happened," he said.
The commercial long-liner remained on rocks as debris, including blue fish bins and buoys, surged in the swell that battered the coast.
Fortunately three crew members - a 24-year-old skipper and crew believed to be both from Houhora aged 19 and 16 - made it to shore and were rescued.
They received a few cuts and bruises as they made their way over rocks to the beach.
The men set off their emergency beacon shortly before at 1am yesterday, but then turned it off.
The beacon was picked up briefly by the National Rescue Coordination Centre in Wellington which alerted the Westpac Rescue Helicopter based on the Auckland waterfront.
Rescue helicopter crewman John Skirrow, said that, as the helicopter flew past Te Arai Point he spotted the three men waving and flashing a torch from the beach where their 12.5 metre boat had hit the rocks.
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