Maupiti fishing boat rescue, Digi Mart USA News (Maupiti, French Polynesia): Three fishermen were rescued at sea off Maupiti after a close call that could have ended in tragedy, according to the French High Commission in French Polynesia. The rescue was made possible by a satellite distress beacon aboard the fishing boat, the poti marara.
The alert was received on Thursday, November 5, at about 6:00 p.m. The boat was more than 70 kilometers from the atoll when the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) of Tahiti took charge of the operation, working with the inter-administration Dauphin helicopter and shipowners operating in the area.
Around 9:00 p.m., the helicopter located the poti marara in rough seas. The three fishermen were distressed after striking a drifting tree trunk.
They were safely winched aboard and transported to Bora Bora.
The High Commission stressed the importance of carefully preparing every trip at sea. It also noted that a registered satellite distress beacon is an essential piece of equipment that helps locate and assist people in difficulty.
