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Missing Kiribati ferry: seven passengers found in lifeboat Missing Kiribati ferry: seven passengers found in lifeboat
(34 minutes later)
Remainder of 50 people on board still unaccounted for after rescuers locate group of survivors Survivors, who were floating for days without shelter from the sun, say they scrambled on to the dinghy as the ferry, carrying 50 people, sank
Guardian staffGuardian staff
Sun 28 Jan 2018 05.44 GMTSun 28 Jan 2018 05.44 GMT
Last modified on Sun 28 Jan 2018 05.46 GMT Last modified on Sun 28 Jan 2018 06.05 GMT
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Rescuers have found a dinghy containing seven survivors while searching for 50 people missing in the waters off Kiribati in the Pacific after their ferry failed to arrive at its destination. Rescuers have found a dinghy containing seven survivors while searching for a ferry carrying 50 people that went missing in the waters off Kiribati.
The New Zealand defence force said that within two hours of reaching the search location, troops on board an Orion aircraft spotted the five-metre dinghy adrift in the Pacific Ocean with seven people on board. The New Zealand defence force said the crew on a military Orion plane used radar to locate the dinghy. It took them two hours to find the five-metre craft adrift in the Pacific Ocean with seven people, including an unconscious baby, on board.
NEWS || The @NZAirForce P-3K2 Orion has found seven survivors from a ferry with 50 people on board that was reported missing in Kiribati a week ago. MORE: https://t.co/eAQJGM14Ul.#Force4Good pic.twitter.com/p3UimMmGAxNEWS || The @NZAirForce P-3K2 Orion has found seven survivors from a ferry with 50 people on board that was reported missing in Kiribati a week ago. MORE: https://t.co/eAQJGM14Ul.#Force4Good pic.twitter.com/p3UimMmGAx
“The crew has dropped them aid supplies containing water, food and a radio and are currently trying to establish communication with them,” Air Commodore Darren Webb said. The survivors had scrambled onto the small wooden dinghy after the ferry sank, according to authorities.
A fishing vessel was en route to pick up the survivors, he said. The Orion dropped supplies to the survivors including food, water and a radio, New Zealand Defence Force air commodore Darryn Webb said.
A search will continue for the MV Butiraoi and its remaining passengers. The ferry failed to arrive at its destination more than a week ago, but the fact that it was missing was only reported on Friday. The survivors used the radio to tell rescuers they’d managed to get off the ferry when it capsized and climb aboard the dinghy, he said.
Webb said the survivors had very little time to react and found themselves adrift without water or an engine. He said they did have a blanket or tarpaulin which they may have been able to use to get some relief from the sun.
Webb said a fishing boat had changed its course and picked up the survivors on Sunday afternoon. He said the dinghy was drifting more than 180km (112 miles) from the nearest major island when it was found.
“Our heart goes out to the baby and to all those remaining of the 50-plus people,” he said.
Webb said there was a lot of debris near the dinghy, which may have been from the ferry.
Searchers planned to regroup and interview the survivors before deciding whether to continue the search for the MV Butiraoi and its remaining passengers.
The ferry failed to arrive at its destination more than a week ago, but the fact that it was missing was only reported on Friday. Questions remain as to why it took Kiribati authorities so long to tell New Zealand officials the ferry was missing. Webb said a Kiribati plane had earlier searched for the ferry but didn’t have sophisticated radar equipment.
Butiraoi, an inter-island passenger ferry, left Nonouti Island on 18 January for a two-day, 250km trip to Betio, the largest township of Kiribati’s capital city, South Tarawa. The 17-metre wooden catamaran failed to arrive on 20 January.Butiraoi, an inter-island passenger ferry, left Nonouti Island on 18 January for a two-day, 250km trip to Betio, the largest township of Kiribati’s capital city, South Tarawa. The 17-metre wooden catamaran failed to arrive on 20 January.
Local authorities said the boat ran aground and underwent repairs to its propeller shaft before it left Nonouti Island. It has a high frequency radio but it is not known whether it has enough fuel and emergency supplies on board.Local authorities said the boat ran aground and underwent repairs to its propeller shaft before it left Nonouti Island. It has a high frequency radio but it is not known whether it has enough fuel and emergency supplies on board.
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