Taranaki Coast News

Trans-Tasman kayaker Scott Donaldson has been successfully rescued from his kayak 83 kilometres off the Taranaki Coast, south-west of New Plymouth, says Maritime NZ. The Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand organised for the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter to fly to Scott’s location and winch him aboard.RCCNZ Senior Search and Rescue officer Kevin Banaghan says weather conditions were deteriorating, and Scott had declared to his support crew in the morning that his situation was unsafe. Once on scene, the helicopter pilot talked to Scott by radio, then a swimmer from the rescue service went into the water. Scott then jumped into the sea from his vessel; and both were safely winched into the helicopter.

New Zealand's AMF Boatbuilding Co. commissioned to build $1.2M Coast Guard Vessel. Taranaki Volunteer Coast Guard, after 4 years of fundraising, have commissioned AMF Boat Company to build their 11.7M Rescue craft. Construction of the vessel is to be constructed in the Wanganui factory and is due to start in the coming weeks, with completion later in the year. This is the second 11.7M RIB built by AMF for Coast Guard, with the first being based at Hawkes Bay and operating successfully for the last three years.