Police officers will meet the bulker Berge Rishiri in Napier on August 29, after a crew member presumably fell overboard while it was off the east coast of the South Island.
A weekend search, co-ordinated by Maritime New Zealand’s rescue co-ordination centre, failed to find the Chinese national, with the search now suspended. However, vessels in the area were still being asked to check for sightings of the missing crewman.
The seafarer was presumed to have fallen overboard from the bulk carrier off the Otago coast. A police spokesperson said it was working with the rescue co-ordination centre, with the vessel due to berth in Napier.
The police will now speak to crew onboard to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
According to Bluff’s South Port chief executive Nigel Gear, the Berge Rishiri had discharged alumina at the Tiwai berth, near Bluff, before departing at 1am on August 27, heading towards Napier. Just hours later, alerts were raised when the crew member failed to arrive for a shift on the boat.
A spokesperson for Berge Bulk, owner of the Berge Rishiri, told local media that the seafarer was last seen on the boat at 8am on August 27 and preliminary reports indicated he did not show up for his routine watch duty at 4pm on the same day.
The master of Berge Rishiri immediately raised the alarm and activated a thorough search of the vessel. He also turned the ship around on a reciprocal course with additional lookouts posted.
All regional maritime authorities and the flag state were notified and search and rescue operations were carried out, but without success.
