Trapper towed to safety

A dinghy is towed to shore by Search and Rescue at Big Bay on the northern Fiordland coast. Photo...
A dinghy is towed to shore by Search and Rescue at Big Bay on the northern Fiordland coast. Photo by Fiordland SAR.
A possum trapper's boat was towed to shore by a helicopter after drifting 5km out to sea yesterday.

Constable James Ure, of Te Anau, said the man was entering Big Bay, from the Hacket River on the West Coast, about 2pm, when his outboard motor seized.

He had a handheld radio and beacon and his distress call was picked up by Hokitika police. Te Anau Search and Rescue launched a rescue mission about 5pm.

Const Ure said a helicopter was used to tow the boat and man to shore after crew hooked a line on to the craft.

The boating mishap was the second for the man in as many weeks. His boat capsized in the same area about two weeks ago, Const Ure said.

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