Gearbox – 08/06/2016 – 8:47 to 10:35

At 0847hr a radio call was received from a 7.3m fibreglass boat with 4 POB that it had drive problems in its stern leg and needed a tow back to port. The boat was NE of Whale Island. Sea conditions were good with a 7kt wind from SSW and little swell. An All Stations alert was made and at 0859hr Whakatane Rescue was tasked with providing assistance. At 0914hr the boat reported that it may have fixed the problem and was making way slowly towards Whakatane. At 0917hr the boat reported that it had broken down again and needed a tow. At 1014hr Whakatane Rescue had the boat under tow and at 1035hr both boats were safely back in port.