The New Zealand Defence Force has found two Kiribati fishermen safe in their boat after they had been missing for one week.
They were spotted waving to an Orion aircraft from their small aluminium boat about 9.30pm on Tuesday, the third day of the search.
The dinghy was found using the Orion's radar and an infrared camera confirmed the two men were aboard, Air Commodore Andrew Clark says.
The men, aged 45 and 30, were safe and their vessel in good condition.
Emergency supplies and a radio with which the Orion crew were able to make contact with the men was dropped down to them.
The Orion also contacted a Kiribati patrol boat that was expected to reach the men by mid-morning today.
The fishermen had earlier left Taboiaki village in Kiribati's Nonouti atoll on their six-metre craft on March 14, planning to fish off the south end of the atoll.
Nonouti is about 4000 kilometres north of Auckland, with the NZDF becoming involved in a search for the men on Saturday at the request of the Fiji Maritime Surveillance Rescue Coordination Centre.
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