Water Rescue

At about 10.30pm on Saturday the 23rd June 2012 an 18 meter, 53 ton pleasure craft with two persons on board was returning to Seaview Marina when it struck rocks on the north end of Somes Island in Wellington Harbour. The weather at the time was severe, with northwest winds up to 50 knots.

The skipper notified Wellington Harbour Radio that he was taking on water and at that stage his bilge pumps were coping with the ingress of water.  The vessel managed to return and berth at Seaview Marina. The situation deteriorated however and the vessel began sinking.

Police Maritime Unit and Fire Service were called and fire staff set up salvage pumps.  Commercial and Police divers attended and by 3.30am the following morning had managed to make sufficient temporary repairs to the hull.