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Story: Search and rescue

Marooned on a reef

Image
A man standing on a beach, surrounded by a boat and clothes, waving to someone high above him.

In 2005, this man fell asleep on his boat and ran aground on a reef east of Fiji. Once he was found, a survival pack and radio was dropped to him from a Royal New Zealand Air Force Orion aircraft, and a rescue by boat was organised.

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Royal New Zealand Air Force

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How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick and Dan Clearwater, Search and rescue – New Zealand search and rescue organisations, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/13200/marooned-on-a-reef (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick and Dan Clearwater, published 2 March 2009, reviewed and revised 27 July 2023 with assistance from Dan Clearwater.