Hectic holidays for water police

PAUL EASTON

The harbour threatens to cut up rough as Wellington's police launch Lady Elizabeth IV heads out on patrol.

Whitecaps flick off the grey water near Matiu/Somes Island, as the big aluminum catamaran pitches and rolls.

"It's not really boating weather, but if you were keen as mustard you might head out," senior constable Ross Lane says from the state-of-the-art bridge.

It's been a busy induction into life in the capital for the Lady Elizabeth IV. Since its arrival in September, it has been involved in 44 search and rescue missions, and countless other small tasks.

The boat's log tells the story of a busy holiday period for its crew.

Since Christmas Day, they have been dealing with boaties breaking down, swimmers going missing, divers lost at sea, even a quad bike accident at Sinclair Head.

"It's been pretty hectic all right," Sergeant Dave Houston says.

By far their biggest job was the lengthy search for three divers, missing off Wellington's south coast on January 30.

What started as a report of an empty boat trailer at Owhiro Bay turned into an epic story of survival.

Because the men's plans were unclear, the search area covered 1700 square kilometres.

"It's like looking for a needle in a haystack. You are looking for a black ball in the water, in the dark."

The search was called off at 3.30am but reignited when one of the missing men, Max Ma, made it ashore at Owhiro Bay.

"He said his mate was dead, and he didn't know where the other guy was. It was like `Oh no!"'

The search swung back into action. Organised by the Rescue Co-ordination Centre, it involved police, the Westpac rescue helicopter, Helipro, the Coastguard and other boats.

The remaining two men, Han Yung Lin and Roy Xiong, were feared drowned. However, shortly after 10am the next day the pair were hauled from the water still alive after 16 hours.

Mr Xiong was "good as gold" Mr Houston says. Mr Lin was in serious trouble though. Unable to swim, he had been kept afloat by his lifejacket.

"He just looked awful. His face was all swollen, his eyes were bloodshot. I thought he was going to die on the spot. It was amazing he survived."

Mr Lin was winched on to the Westpac helicopter and taken to Wellington Hospital.

Heading back to base, with all three men found alive, was "a fantastic feeling", Mr Houston says.

A few days later the dangers of the sea were brought home, with the Lady Elizabeth IV used in the search for Anare Nayacatoga, a swimmer who went missing off Seatoun Beach while looking for mussels.

Police divers found his body the next morning.

It has been an active summer for the Lady Elizabeth IV.

Boaties keep heading out under-prepared, with little safety equipment, over-reaching their experience, Mr Houston says.

"We get a lot of breakdowns. People park the boat up for winter, then they jump in and off they go."

Lady Elizabeth IV was custom- built in Whanganui by Q West Boatbuilders. It cruises at 30 knots (about 55kmh), and can comfortably sleep eight people.

State-of-the-art sonar and radar screens sweep the sea, and an automatic identification system brings up data on surrounding boats and warns of possible collisions.

At the push of a button you can see the distant Interislander ferry Aratere is cruising into Wellington harbour at 33kmh.

A thermal imaging camera can spot people in the water at night or sense the heat from boats' engines. Search grid patterns can be beamed into the boat's systems, Mr Houston says. "It's a great platform to work from."

 

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