An air force Orion has been sent to search for 29 Taiwanese fishermen missing near Fiji.
The air force and New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre were alerted after a Taiwanese long line boat was found by a Korean fishing boat burnt out, still afloat, but with no one on board.
A search of the boat showed three life rafts and a rescue boat were missing, and the air force said it hoped the 29 crew had abandoned ship in the life rafts.
RNZAF air component commander Air Commodore Gavin Howse said the Orion left New Zealand yesterday to search a 54,000 square kilometre area over the next few days.
The last transmission from the boat was on October 28 and the air force was notified on November 17.
The Orion and crew are expected to return to New Zealand on Saturday.
