Cook Strait mystery: Vanished boat mayday call leads to nothing

A mysterious mayday call was received on the marine radio channel on Monday night about a boat with two people onboard sinking near the Karori Rock area in the Cook Strait.

The police, the air force, the navy, and many volunteers launched a rescue and search operation. Due to calm weather and no wind, a smooth but thorough operation was conducted on Tuesday.

After searching for hours, the baffling results shocked the police as rescue teams found nothing there, no people, no boat, and no debris. There was no evidence to suggest a boat had sunk.

An investigation was conducted in the area to confirm, but no person has seen or reported such an incident.

A spokesperson from the police gave an official statement, “Given the lack of any physical evidence, we have made the decision to formally suspend the search.”

However, the police are investigating the sources of the call, as they could not find any logical explanation for what happened.

“We are now investigating the circumstances of the distress call to determine its source and authenticity.”

The rescue forces issue a public plea to help locate the missing vessel.

“We are appealing to anyone who was on the water in the Cook Strait or Wellington harbour area on Monday night to come forward with any information they may have. We are still hopeful that we may be able to locate the vessel and the two people who made the call, or that they made it safely to shore without alerting authorities.”

What is the importance of the Cook Strait?

The Cook Strait separates the North and South islands of New Zealand.