Crew members from a yacht which ran aground on a reef between Fare and Motu Vaiorea on the island of Huahine, in the Leeward Society Islands of French Polynesia, have been evacuated to safety by a Navy rescue helicopter.

Published 3 years ago

The local Huahine gendarmerie contacted JRCC Tahiti with information that a sailboat had run aground on a reef west of the island on the night of September 10, 2021 and that its skipper was asking for assistance.

Emergency personnel assessed the situation and discovered that the 16-meter sailboat “Exultet” was lying on the reef and was inaccessible due to the breaking waves generated by a strong swell. 

JRCC Tahiti requested assistance from the navy to evacuate the eight crew members on board with the support of firefighters for the night-time operation.

The navy’s “Rescue Tango” helicopter took off from Faa’a at around 10:10 pm and shortly before midnight all the crew members were hoisted in two rotations to the town hall square. The crew were then taken by the fire brigade’s rescue vehicles to the Huahine dispensary. After a positive health check, the crew members were given a place to sleep for the night.

The High Commission remind all vessel owners that during the current period of confinement in French Polynesia, pleasure boating is prohibited between the Society Islands unless authorized by the maritime affairs services.