An Air Force Orion has located two Samoan fishing vessels in difficulty about 60 kilometres west of Niue.
Rescue Coordinator Centre Mission Coordinator, Tracy Brickles, says the Orion was dispatched from Auckland to Niue early Sunday morning following a beacon alert.
It began searching at first light and found the two vessels almost immediately.
Both had been damaged by a tropical storm in the area on Friday and had lost power.
The two vessels, each carrying a crew of four, were lashed together.
All the crew members are reported to be safe and well.
