Training flight finds missing yacht Tafadzwa, drifting and damaged

7:05 AM Sun 28 Mar 2010 GMT

'Tadfadzwa found, but derelict' .

The missing yacht Tafadzwa, for whom the New Zealand search authorities called off a search almost two weeks ago, has been found. A New Zealand Air Force P3 Orion aircraft found the yacht drifting 60 nautical miles west of the Chatham Islands, located about 400 nm east of New Zealand's South Island..

The yacht's main and headsail were rigged, but appeared extensively damaged, and the crew of the Orion were not able to determine if the skipper, South African sailor Paul van Rensburg, was on board. Finding the yacht west of the Chatham Islands means that the yacht had drifted in a south-easterly direction, not north-easterly, as previously thought by searchers.

New Zealand's Rescue Coordination Centre(NZRCC) has arranged for a fishing vessel in the vicinity to divert to the Tafadzwa's position to find out if van Rensburg is on board, and the vessel is expected to reach the yacht today, probably at around 7.00pm New Zealand time.

The Orion was not searching for the yacht, but found it during a training flight at about 1.45pm today. RCCNZ Search and Rescue mission coordinator Geoff Lunt says an effort would be made to board Tafadzwa on arrival.

'However, this will depend on sea conditions. There is currently a 3m swell and light is fading. Any attempt to board the yacht will only be made if it can be done safely,' Mr Lunt said.

The RCCNZ had launched a search for Mr van Rensburg after he was reported overdue from a journey between Tauranga and Gisborne more than two weeks ago. It called off the search after three days, having covered 328,000 sq km of ocean.

After the search was called off by the authorities, family and friends of Mr van Rensburg were raising money for the search to continue privately. They were all convinced that more effort would locate the missing yacht. Paul van Rensburg was known to be an experienced sailor, and had sailed his yacht from South Africa to New Zealand in 2006. Proper safety gear was on board the yacht, including an EPIRB, but it had not been set off.

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