US, Canadian nationals rescued from sinking boat in Pacific

Two U.S. and a Canadian nationals have been rescued from a Cayman Islands-registered long range fishing support vessel that began taking on water in the south Pacific early Monday, according to New Zealand's maritime rescue service. Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) picked up the emergency locator beacon of the 31-meter MV Horizons at about 8 a. m. (NZ time), when the vessel was about 280 km south-southwest of American Samoa, RCCNZ search and rescue mission coordinator Dave Wilson said in a statement. The crew of the MV Horizons deployed life-rafts in case it became necessary to abandon ship. No other details on the crew were available. Three vessels were directed to the scene with charter fishing vessel MV Last Stall the first to arrive, rescuing the crew at around midday Monday, Wilson said. A Royal New Zealand Air Force P3 Orion was also dispatched to the area, but was recalled after the rescue. The MV Horizons remained afloat and a navigation warning would be issued alerting shipping in the area. "We were fortunate there were a number of vessels relatively close to the scene and particularly appreciate the efforts of the MV Last Stall, which was heading for Tonga for repairs to its propeller shaft when it responded," said Wilson.