Where can it be now?

[catty]

Have they found the yacht yet??



Bungled report hampers yacht search


September 07, 2008 01:51pm

Article from: AAP
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FIXED wing aircraft and helicopters spent two days searching the wrong area of the eastern seaboard for a missing yacht, after a bungled coastguard report.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has now discounted information on which at least 10 aircraft scoured the northern NSW coast in poor conditions.
The search for two men, sailing from Noumea on a 12.9m yacht, is now concentrating on the coast between Brisbane and Bundaberg.
The AMSA had been led to believe the pair had been heard from on August 27, 40 nautical miles east of Southport.
However, an AMSA spokeswoman said after hearing the radio report to Southport's Seaway Tower, it had now been discounted.
“We've actually got a copy of the tape and believe it was another vessel,” she said.
“Subsequent to listening to the tapes it's become apparent that it wasn't them.
“We're now working on information that families have provided regarding a satellite phone conversation they had (on August 23).
“It said they were heading further north instead of Newcastle.”
Search efforts on Friday involved six aircraft battling 40km/h winds, heavy rain and isolated storms between Cape Moreton and Newcastle.
Seven fixed wing and three helicopters continued the search yesterday, in bad weather conditions off the NSW coast.
The AMSA spokeswoman said three helicopters and 10 fixed wing aircraft were now searching between Brisbane and Bundaberg.
“We are searching an area of 50,000 square nautical miles,” she said.
“The weather's very good today, two of the aircraft are also radar capable so they will be able to search a larger area.”
“We are also working very closely with the crew's families.”