Fed: Conditions hamper rescuers bid to reach upturned kayak

AAP General News (Australia)
02-10-2007
Fed: Conditions hamper rescuers bid to reach upturned kayak

SYDNEY, Feb 10 AAP - An inflatable dinghy launched from a cruise ship was trying to
reach what is believed to be the upturned kayak of Australian Andrew McAuley, missing
in rough seas off New Zealand's south island.

Fading light and choppy seas prevented the crew of a rescue helicopter from winching
down to the site.

A New Zealand Air Force P-3 Orion aircraft made the discovery late this afternoon around
75km west of Milford Sound.

Mr McAuley was expected to arrive in Milford Sound tomorrow after departing Fortescue
Bay, Tasmania, on January 11.

Concerns about his safety emerged today when a garbled message was monitored in New
Zealand on the maritime distress channel 16.

A spokeswoman for New Zealand National Rescue Coordination Centre (NRCC) Annie Lattey
said rescuers would not know if the upturned kayak was Mr McAuley's until they reached
it.

"We won't know until we hear back from the guys in the inflatable and they've retrieved
the kayak," Ms Lattey said.

"We expect to hear within the next half hour (around 9pm AEDT). At that point we'll
make a call as to what the next steps are."

Mr McCauley had encountered bad weather, numerous capsizes and attention from sharks
during his 1,600km expedition.

He was paddling a sea kayak fitted with a cockpit cover, offering some protection from
the elements, and a solar panel to power instruments and communications equipment.

The entire journey has been undertaken below the 40th parallel, an area that regularly
produces some of the world's worst weather.

The discovery of the upturned kayak casts doubt on initial theories that the distress
call, which was very distorted, may have been a hoax.

Mr McAuley's wife Vicki earlier told the Ten Network she was "100 per cent certain"

the distress call hadn't come from her husband.

His brother, Michael, told Sky News the family believed the signal had come from another person.

He said the 39-year-old's emergency beacon had not been activated.

Australia's search and rescue service, AusSAR, has no involvement in the search.

AAP sk/jnb

KEYWORD: NZ KAYAK AUST 2ND LEAD

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