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Missing man's family plead for yacht search off New Zealand to go on Missing man's family plead for yacht search off New Zealand to go on
(3 months later)
The family of 35-year-old British man Matthew Wootton, one of seven passengers on a vintage wooden yacht missing in heavy seas between New Zealand and Australia, still hopes he will be found alive.The family of 35-year-old British man Matthew Wootton, one of seven passengers on a vintage wooden yacht missing in heavy seas between New Zealand and Australia, still hopes he will be found alive.
Wootton, from Lancaster, was on board the Nina, a famous 85-year-old schooner sailing from the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, to Newcastle on the New South Wales mid-north coast.Wootton, from Lancaster, was on board the Nina, a famous 85-year-old schooner sailing from the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, to Newcastle on the New South Wales mid-north coast.
The yacht has not been heard from for three weeks, and New Zealand search and rescue services are scouring the area for any sign of the missing schooner or its crew.The yacht has not been heard from for three weeks, and New Zealand search and rescue services are scouring the area for any sign of the missing schooner or its crew.
Wootton, a Green party activist, had been traveling for about three and a half years – mostly in the Americas – and Australia was to be his last stop before heading home, his family said.Wootton, a Green party activist, had been traveling for about three and a half years – mostly in the Americas – and Australia was to be his last stop before heading home, his family said.
Wootton's sister Lara told the Daily Mail her brother was "very environmentally aware" and travelled by boat or public transport when possible.Wootton's sister Lara told the Daily Mail her brother was "very environmentally aware" and travelled by boat or public transport when possible.
"He has been staying with local people in all the places he's been and is interested in learning about different cultures.""He has been staying with local people in all the places he's been and is interested in learning about different cultures."
Wootton was writing sporadically about his travels, and the last post on his blog, written last July while on board a freighter, was a piece about facing his fears of the ocean.Wootton was writing sporadically about his travels, and the last post on his blog, written last July while on board a freighter, was a piece about facing his fears of the ocean.
Wootton's mother Susan said the family hoped the search for her son would continue, and criticised the Rescue Co-ordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ), which is running the search effort with help from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.Wootton's mother Susan said the family hoped the search for her son would continue, and criticised the Rescue Co-ordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ), which is running the search effort with help from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
"We are on the internet every minute of the day trying to find some news," she said."We are on the internet every minute of the day trying to find some news," she said.
"We just want the New Zealand coastguard to keep on looking for the boat. They've only searched one third of the area they should be searching.""We just want the New Zealand coastguard to keep on looking for the boat. They've only searched one third of the area they should be searching."
Monday's search, building on the 500,000 square nautical miles already covered, concentrated on looking for a liferaft in an area off the extreme northern tip of New Zealand. The search was due to be called off for the day at 6pm local time (7am BST), RCCNZ told Guardian Australia.Monday's search, building on the 500,000 square nautical miles already covered, concentrated on looking for a liferaft in an area off the extreme northern tip of New Zealand. The search was due to be called off for the day at 6pm local time (7am BST), RCCNZ told Guardian Australia.
"Then overnight the search and the results of the search are re-evaluated," to make a decision on whether the continue the next day, an RCCNZ spokesman said."Then overnight the search and the results of the search are re-evaluated," to make a decision on whether the continue the next day, an RCCNZ spokesman said.
The boat left Opua, on the east coast of the Northland area of New Zealand on 29 May and the last reported sighting was on 4 June. Ten days later RCCNZ initiated a search after concerns were raised by family and friends of the crew.The boat left Opua, on the east coast of the Northland area of New Zealand on 29 May and the last reported sighting was on 4 June. Ten days later RCCNZ initiated a search after concerns were raised by family and friends of the crew.
"Our records show that conditions at the last known position for the vessel, on 4 June, were very rough, with winds of 80kmh, gusting to 110kmh, and swells of up to 8 metres," rescue co-ordinator Kevin Banaghan said."Our records show that conditions at the last known position for the vessel, on 4 June, were very rough, with winds of 80kmh, gusting to 110kmh, and swells of up to 8 metres," rescue co-ordinator Kevin Banaghan said.
Wootton's family were made aware that he was on board the vessel only by people he had met while travelling, who became concerned when they heard the boat was missing.Wootton's family were made aware that he was on board the vessel only by people he had met while travelling, who became concerned when they heard the boat was missing.
Former Green party colleagues tweeted concern for their friend after hearing the news. "An absolute tragedy. My great friend Matt Wootton is on this boat. I hope he's ok," wrote Brighton councillor Ben Duncan.Former Green party colleagues tweeted concern for their friend after hearing the news. "An absolute tragedy. My great friend Matt Wootton is on this boat. I hope he's ok," wrote Brighton councillor Ben Duncan.
"Matt Wootton, my #GreenParty and #GreenWordsWorkshop companero, is lost at sea off New Zealand. A grim day for the movement. Missing him so," wrote Green politician Rupert Read."Matt Wootton, my #GreenParty and #GreenWordsWorkshop companero, is lost at sea off New Zealand. A grim day for the movement. Missing him so," wrote Green politician Rupert Read.
Wootton joined the Nina's crew in New Zealand, along with the boat's owners David Dyche, 58; his wife, Rosemary, 60; and their son, 17-year-old David, who was due to start college in the US after this trip. Also on board was their friend Evi Nemeth, 73, and two other as-yet unnamed crew members aged 28 and 18. All crew besides Wootton are from the US.Wootton joined the Nina's crew in New Zealand, along with the boat's owners David Dyche, 58; his wife, Rosemary, 60; and their son, 17-year-old David, who was due to start college in the US after this trip. Also on board was their friend Evi Nemeth, 73, and two other as-yet unnamed crew members aged 28 and 18. All crew besides Wootton are from the US.
Rosemary's son Justin Donovan told Fairfax Media the family were all experienced sailors.Rosemary's son Justin Donovan told Fairfax Media the family were all experienced sailors.
''At this point, I hate to say that reality is overriding optimism,'' he said. ''With having no contact for weeks, and searches coming up with nothing, it is very hard to stay optimistic.''''At this point, I hate to say that reality is overriding optimism,'' he said. ''With having no contact for weeks, and searches coming up with nothing, it is very hard to stay optimistic.''
The Nina carried a Spot tracker, a satellite phone and an emergency beacon (EPIRB), but the beacon was not activated. There is no requirement for offshore crew to carry personal locator beacons on such trips, and it is not know wehther the Nina's crew had them.The Nina carried a Spot tracker, a satellite phone and an emergency beacon (EPIRB), but the beacon was not activated. There is no requirement for offshore crew to carry personal locator beacons on such trips, and it is not know wehther the Nina's crew had them.
The last verbal contact from the vessel was a phone call made about 370 nautical miles west-north-west of Cape Reinga. from Nemeth to a meteorologist, Bob McDavitt, asking how to escape the bad conditions they had encountered.The last verbal contact from the vessel was a phone call made about 370 nautical miles west-north-west of Cape Reinga. from Nemeth to a meteorologist, Bob McDavitt, asking how to escape the bad conditions they had encountered.
McDavitt told Guardian Australia he suggested to Nemeth the Nina should "tweak their position" to head south and then "heave to", meaning hold their position to wait out the southerly storm and eight-metre seas, including 12-metre swells about four times an hour.McDavitt told Guardian Australia he suggested to Nemeth the Nina should "tweak their position" to head south and then "heave to", meaning hold their position to wait out the southerly storm and eight-metre seas, including 12-metre swells about four times an hour.
McDavitt said he sent a few more updates via text to the satellite phone, and the final contact from the Nina was a text message a day later.McDavitt said he sent a few more updates via text to the satellite phone, and the final contact from the Nina was a text message a day later.
"ANY UPDATE 4 NINA?.... EVI.""ANY UPDATE 4 NINA?.... EVI."
It was the last known contact made by the Nina.It was the last known contact made by the Nina.
US sailor Lauren Buchholz, currently in New Zealand, told Guardian Australia she had met and sailed with the Dyche family on the Nina through French Polynesia and Tonga two years ago, and believed they knew what they were doing.US sailor Lauren Buchholz, currently in New Zealand, told Guardian Australia she had met and sailed with the Dyche family on the Nina through French Polynesia and Tonga two years ago, and believed they knew what they were doing.
"It definitely is a large, older boat and would not be the easiest thing to deal with short-handed, but that is why they always had crew on board," Buchholz said."It definitely is a large, older boat and would not be the easiest thing to deal with short-handed, but that is why they always had crew on board," Buchholz said.
"We ended up doing a few larger crossings around the same time as them if I remember, and we are usually quite weather conscious, so that would lend me to infer than they were using good seamanship as far as that goes," she said."We ended up doing a few larger crossings around the same time as them if I remember, and we are usually quite weather conscious, so that would lend me to infer than they were using good seamanship as far as that goes," she said.
Five aerial searches have been conducted by RCCNZ based on various scenarios covering an area of 600,000 square nautical miles, as well as two aerial searches of the New Zealand shoreline looking for wreckage.Five aerial searches have been conducted by RCCNZ based on various scenarios covering an area of 600,000 square nautical miles, as well as two aerial searches of the New Zealand shoreline looking for wreckage.
In 1928 Nina won a famous race from New York to Santander, Spain, where it was met at the dock by King Alfonso. It went on to become the first American boat to win the Fastnet race through the English channel and Irish Sea.In 1928 Nina won a famous race from New York to Santander, Spain, where it was met at the dock by King Alfonso. It went on to become the first American boat to win the Fastnet race through the English channel and Irish Sea.
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