A salvage operation is underway to re-float a private launch that sank after striking rocks near Mōtītī Island off Tauranga’s coast. The 60-foot launch, which had departed from Sulphur Point Marina, went down during a sightseeing tour, but all 14 adults aboard were safely evacuated into another vessel and transferred to the Coastguard Maketū’s rescue boat, Eastpack Rescue, before being taken ashore. The rescue efforts involved Coastguard volunteers from Maketū, Tauranga, Whakatāne, a nearby boater, the Customs vessel Hawk V, and a Tauranga-based Aerocool Rescue Helicopter.
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