A Royal New Zealand Air Force search crew has located a Cook Islands fisherman who had been missing at sea for a week after failing to return from a fishing trip.
The solo fisherman was found alive in his four-metre aluminium skiff in waters north of the Cook Islands after an extensive search involving a RNZAF P-8A Poseidon aircraft.
The crew spotted the man on Friday morning New Zealand time and confirmed he was responsive and able to wave to the aircraft as it flew overhead.
Nearby fishing vessels in the area indicated they were able to reach and recover the fisherman following the sighting.
The man had departed from Pukapuka Island, located about 1,140 kilometres northwest of Rarotonga, on a day fishing trip last Thursday local time. Concern grew when he failed to return home as expected.
Local police were notified the following day, triggering a search operation. Earlier this week, New Zealand’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre requested assistance from the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
The RNZAF deployed a P-8A Poseidon aircraft and crew, who began searching the vast ocean area on Thursday.
Officials had been particularly concerned because it was believed the fisherman carried only minimal safety and survival equipment aboard his small vessel.
The successful outcome has brought relief to family members and the wider Pukapuka community after days of uncertainty.
The search highlights the critical role played by the RNZAF’s long-range surveillance aircraft in supporting search and rescue operations across the Pacific, where vast distances and remote island communities can make emergency responses especially challenging.
Further details on the fisherman’s condition are expected once he has been safely recovered and assessed.
