Search teams find no sign of fishermen

NZ Newswire Updated May 3, 2012, 6:43 pm

Search teams scouring the shoreline of Secretary Island on foot on Thursday have found no sign of two fishermen missing off Doubtful Sound in Fiordland.

The crayfishing boat K'Cee, carrying skipper Bruce Gordon, 42, and crewman Darren Allen, 37, has not been heard from since 8.15am on Monday and was reported missing on Tuesday morning.

Thursday's search turned up no new information, police said.

The search team, made up of police, search and rescue staff and local experts will evaluate the latest information from the Rescue Co-ordination Centre on tidal patterns, current movements and debris already located, to identify potential actions or directions for any future searches.

Police said they had hoped for a better outcome at this stage, and their thoughts and sympathies were with all families involved.

Searchers covered an area around Rocky Point on Secretary Island, near where the bow of the K'Cee was found on Tuesday.

Two helicopters and two vessels supported the ground search teams.

On Wednesday, several parts of the boat were found, including two wooden floorboards from the inflatable dinghy, about 10km north of Secretary Island, along with a bladder from the inflatable life raft.

The K'Cee's emergency locator beacon was also found. It had minor damage and appeared operational but had not been activated.

A police dive squad which had searched the site where wreckage of the boat was found has returned to Wellington.

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