4 Aug 2003

Eight people missing at sea in French Polynesia found safe

7:41 am on 4 August 2003

Eight people, including a baby, who had been missing at sea for four days in the French Polynesian archipelago of Tuamotu have been found safe and well.

The six adults, a two-year-old and a six-month-old baby had left Amanu atoll on a small fishing boat on Tuesday heading for Tauere ... a journey that should have taken three hours.

The boat's captain said he did not have enough fuel to reach Tauere, so he had used a tarpaulin as a makeshift sail to get to Marokau atoll.