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| Missing yacht Nina: 'No sign' of Australia-bound vessel | Missing yacht Nina: 'No sign' of Australia-bound vessel |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A yacht sailing from New Zealand to Australia has gone missing, prompting fears for the seven on board. | A yacht sailing from New Zealand to Australia has gone missing, prompting fears for the seven on board. |
| The crew, six US citizens and one Briton, have not been heard from for over three weeks. | The crew, six US citizens and one Briton, have not been heard from for over three weeks. |
| They had been journeying from Opua in the Bay of Islands to Newcastle, Australia, aboard Nina, a historic American schooner built in 1928. | |
| New Zealand's Rescue Co-ordination Centre said it held "grave concerns" for the crew but remained "hopeful". | New Zealand's Rescue Co-ordination Centre said it held "grave concerns" for the crew but remained "hopeful". |
| The Nina set sail on 29 May from northern New Zealand. | The Nina set sail on 29 May from northern New Zealand. |
| Three US men aged 17, 28 and 58, three US women aged 18, 60 and 73, and a British man aged 35 were on board. | Three US men aged 17, 28 and 58, three US women aged 18, 60 and 73, and a British man aged 35 were on board. |
| The ship last made contact on 4 June, when it was about 370 nautical miles (685km) west of New Zealand, maritime authorities said in a statement. | The ship last made contact on 4 June, when it was about 370 nautical miles (685km) west of New Zealand, maritime authorities said in a statement. |
| "Our records show that conditions at the last known position for the vessel... were very rough, with winds of 80km/h (50 mph), gusting to 110km/h (70 mph), and swells of 8m (26ft)," Kevin Banaghan, rescue mission co-ordinator, said. | |
| The New Zealand air force had completed two extensive searches, but "no sign of the vessel has been found", he added. | The New Zealand air force had completed two extensive searches, but "no sign of the vessel has been found", he added. |
| The Nina is made of wood and equipped with a new engine and an emergency beacon which authorities say has not been activated. | The Nina is made of wood and equipped with a new engine and an emergency beacon which authorities say has not been activated. |
| Mr Banaghan said that Nina's crew had hoped to arrive in Australia by mid-June but weather conditions meant that a more realistic arrival date would have been about 25 June. | Mr Banaghan said that Nina's crew had hoped to arrive in Australia by mid-June but weather conditions meant that a more realistic arrival date would have been about 25 June. |
| He said there were three possibilities as to the fate of the vessel: it had lost communications and drifted off course, the crew had taken to lifeboats or there had been a catastrophic failure and the boat had sunk before anybody had time to react. | He said there were three possibilities as to the fate of the vessel: it had lost communications and drifted off course, the crew had taken to lifeboats or there had been a catastrophic failure and the boat had sunk before anybody had time to react. |