19 Mar 2018

NZ Orion suspends search for missing Kiribati men

8:18 pm on 19 March 2018

The aerial search for two missing Kiribati fishermen has been called off.

A New Zealand Air Force Orion searched an area near Kiribati's Nonouti Atoll throughout Monday but the Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Suva said it found no sign of the two men.

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Photo: Supplied / NZ Defence Force

The 30 year old and 45 year old went missing on Wednesday last week.

The Co-ordination Centre said two Kiribati vessels that have also been part of the search will continue looking for the men for the foreseeable future.

The missing vessel did not have an emergency distress beacon on board.