Cook Islands Police will require an official report on the missing Indonesian crewman from the fishing company before proceeding with the standard requirements.

Police had earlier stated that the Chinese long liners fishing in Cook Islands waters were conducting a search for the missing Indonesian crewman last week.

“Police will need to receive something official in order to refer any findings or determination to the coroner, since this was in our EEZ,” police media officer Trevor Pitt said.

Police were notified about the rescue efforts to recover a man overboard from a foreign fishing vessel, north of Rakahanga, in the early hours of Wednesday last week.

The longline vessel involved is Hua Nan Yu 712 and “there's been no directive to mobilise Te Kukupa II”.

Pitt had said the location is more than 800 miles from Rarotonga and would most likely take a couple of days.

He added a report may be ready once the search is over

According to the fishing company report, the missing crewman is a 28 year old Indonesian national, and his family have been informed about the incident.

Pitt said: “Police have been advised that five Chinese longliners in the vicinity have been involved in the search and rescue of the man.”

He said the missing man was trying to pull in live fish during reeling.

• CI Police/ LL