The sailors missing on their nine metre yacht off the Bay of Plenty coast have been found this morning after they made two distress calls last night.
A local radio station in Whakatāne that was broadcasting updates on the search received a call from a woman in who had seen the yacht in Omaio Bay.
Rescue Coordination Centre NZ then directed the helicopter to the area which confirmed it was the missing yacht.
The two people were found safe and well, but it appeared they had trouble maintaining anchorage.
The first call was made at 8pm by a male and the second was made shortly after by a female on board the same vessel.
Two radar searches were conducted by radar last night due to cloudy conditions, the last one was completed at 11pm.
The first search was carried out from Cape Runaway to Mayor Island, the second from Mercury Island to Gisborne.
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