New Zealand plane finds 7 missing aboard 2 boats in Pacific
ABC News
New Zealand’s military said Tuesday that an air force plane found seven people who had gone missing
WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- New Zealand's military said Tuesday that an air force plane had found seven people who had gone missing aboard two small boats near the remote Pacific nation of Kiribati.
The military said the crew aboard an Orion plane had coincidentally spotted the two boats within 10 nautical miles (18.5 kilometers) of each other Monday after the boats went missing in separate incidents from the island nation late last week.
The military said one of the boats had drifted 150 nautical miles (280 kilometers) from its intended course while the other one was closer to where it had gone missing near Makin Island.
The military crew was able to drop survival kits with water and locator beacons to those aboard, and then contacted nearby boats to rescue the survivors. Among those rescued was an 11-year-old.
