NZDF Orion successfully locates three Kiribati fishermen lost at sea for four days

October 18, 2017

The New Zealand Defence Force has found three fisherman who had been missing in the Pacific Ocean for four days.

The NZDF tweeted the good news this afternoon writing: "Our Kiwi P-3K2 Orion has found the 3 missing Kiribati Fishermen who've been missing for 4 days in the Pacific Ocean #Force4Good."

Before being found the trio had last been seen leaving on a five-metre boat about 6am on Saturday from Betio Island, the largest township of Kiribati's capital city, in South Tarawa.

A Royal New Zealand Air Force Orion aircraft took part in the successful search, which covered about 30,000 square kilometres.

The NZDF flew 234 hours on 19 search and rescue missions in New Zealand and the Pacific in 2016, up 59 per cent from the previous year.

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