The crew of the Australia-flagged vessel Tai Tam found themselves in a precarious situation after colliding with a whale while sailing approximately 250 nautical miles north of Norfolk Island. Following the incident, the four sailors were forced to abandon their 51-foot boat and spent several hours in a life raft. Around 1:00 PM on Saturday, they activated their Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), prompting a rescue operation by Maritime New Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Center.
A Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A plane was dispatched to locate the sailors, successfully establishing communication with them. Meanwhile, the Rescue Coordination Center alerted nearby vessels for assistance. The containership Sofrana Surville, a Malta-flagged vessel, responded to the call and altered its course to aid in the rescue.
The sailors spent a cold night in the life raft before being rescued around 6:00 AM the following morning. They reported rough seas with waves up to two meters (6.5 feet). The Sofrana Surville transported the survivors to the nearest port, with plans to stop in Noumea, New Caledonia, before continuing to Brisbane, Australia. The successful rescue was attributed to the crew’s preparedness and the timely activation of their EPIRB.
