Boat operators in the Pa Enua are being reminded of the importance of having reliable communication equipment while at sea, after two Aitutaki fishermen were recently rescued over 20 kilometres away from the island.

Fishermen and boat operators on Aitutaki banded together for the search and rescue effort on October 6.

According to a social media post, the vital information that was received regarding the last point of contact with the missing boat, allowed the rescuers to make the crucial decision of where to start the search for the boat using the swells and wind directions.

Young Quinton Schofield Jr first sighted the lights of the missing boat about 22 kilometres from the island. The rescue team and the fishermen returned to Aitutaki about 10pm that evening after a rough three- to four-hour journey.

The Cook Islands Police were alerted by Aitutaki Police shortly after 6pm (6.06pm) that day that the pair had not returned from their fishing trip.

Police were in the process of organising a Search and Rescue (SAR) operation but were notified at 7.14pm that the fishermen had been located and were making their way back to the harbour.

Following the rescue, a notice was posted online for Aitutaki Boat Owners and Boat Operators, to check their Marine VHF Radios to ensure it has a channel 61 feature, after it was realised during the search and rescue effort that not all VHF radios have this feature.

The ‘Iceberg’ captain and crew were involved in the search and rescue mission of two Aitutaki fishermen earlier this month. FACEBOOK/23101926

The notice stated that Channel 61 is the repeater channel for Aitutaki, and the equipment was purchased through a shared partnership agreement between Cook Islands Tourism, Ministry of Marine Resources, Vodafone Cook Islands and Aitutaki Bonefish, in 2021. This repeater channel has a range of approximately 15+ nautical miles out of Aitutaki.

Boat operators who do not have Channel 61 on their current VHF radio are being kindly asked to look into upgrading their radio as soon as possible to a brand that has the Channel 61 feature.

They are also being urged to ensure that they carry all the basic safety gear on board, such as life jackets, a VHF radio, and flares, before heading out to sea. They are also encouraged to invest in an EPIRB and GPS system, which can cut down search and rescue times dramatically.

The Ministry of Transport conducts Boat Master training courses on Rarotonga and the Pa Enua.

Secretary of Transport John Hosking emphasised the importance of boat operators in the Pa Enua having reliable communication equipment, and encouraged all boat operators to take at least two or more means of reliable communication equipment with them when they go out to sea.

Hosking specifically recommended that boat operators use the Marine VHF base radio, and that “Channel 16 is the designated channel for national distress and calling frequency”.

According to Hosking, the effective range of marine radios, in terms of the distance from land, depends on factors such as the type of marine radio they use, the weather and sea conditions, and the power output mode selected on the radio.

On small boats, he said the base radio fitted with antennas can reach up to approximately four to five nautical miles. As for portable VHF radios, their range is limited to line-of-sight communication between the devices.

Hosking also noted that the regulations state, that the Director of Maritime or any person authorised by the Secretary has the authority to inspect any motorised vessel for compliance.

“Additionally, the Harbour Master, a member of the Cook Islands Police or any fisheries officer may also conduct compliance checks.”

Hosking said it is the responsibility of the vessel operator and owner to ensure that their vessel is equipped with six or more essential safety gears before going out at sea.

“It is important for the operator to provide a trip report to their loved ones, including the departure time and the expected time of returning home,” Hosking said.

Appreciation and thanks go out to everyone who assisted with the search and rescue effort: The Iceberg captain and crew, Brendan and Chris on Platinum, Aquila boat, Air Raro’s Ewan Smith, Rino and Jackson, Aitutaki Police, Bubbles Below Onu Hewett, Clive Baxter, Tui, Quinton Schofield nr and others involved in the rescue.