A person has moderate injuries after a yacht became stricken in wild weather off the coast of Otago Harbour tonight.
Coastguard Dunedin president Blair Olsen said they were alerted to the incident about 5pm and found it about 4km southeast of the harbour entrance.
The yacht appeared to have engine trouble and was not able to reach the harbour without assistance, he said.
The initial aim was to tow the craft and its two passengers into Otago Harbour, but the weather conditions made it too dangerous to attempt.
‘‘The conditions were pretty testing - there were five-metre swells and the wind was gusting to 40 knots [74kmh]," Mr Olsen said.
Instead, the yacht was being towed by the Coastguard and a fishing boat was also assisting.
The passengers remained on the yacht, which was being towed to Deborah Bay, and it was expected to reach land about 9.30pm.
