Boating tragedy kills 8 on Foveaux Strait

The names of the eight people who perished when a boat capsized in Foveaux Strait have been released.

Nine people were aboard the 38-foot Easy Rider when a rogue wave struck off Saddle Point on the northern tip of Stewart Island at midnight on Wednesday and one survived.

The eight who lost their lives are: Shane Ronald Topi, Invercargill, 29, William Rewai Desmond Karetai, Skipper of the boat, Bluff, 47, Paul Jason Fowler-Karetai, Invercargill, 40, Odin Karetai, Invercargill, 7,Boe Taikawa Gillies, Invercargill, 28, John Henry Karetai, Invercargill, 58, Peter Glen Pekamu-Bloxham, Invercargill, 53, David George Fowler, Invercargill, 50.

Sole survivor Shane Reedy was found clinging to a barrel 18 hours after the capsize, is in a critical condition at Southland Hospital.

Three bodies have been found and five remain missing, presumed dead.

Two bodies were found early this afternoon east of the Easy Rider's wreck, in the predicted drift line. The body of a 30-year-old man was found last night.

Bluff Coastguard president Andy Johnson said the boat was found mid-morning in 40 metres of water by Bishop Island.

The navy ship Resolution had put a camera down and found the boat on its side on the ocean floor. The camera did not detect any people on it, he said.

Full confirmation of whether it was the Easy Rider would not be possible until a dive team arrived later today.

A cousin of the Easy Rider's skipper, Rewai Karetai, said the families were holding up OK but were frustrated at not having any bodies.

"All the elder family members want is for the bodies back. They're being realistic - they don't believe they will get them," she said.

She believed some people on board the Easy Rider were trapped in the wheelhouse, and the boat had broken. The current in the strait was fast and the bodies could be anywhere, she said.

A woman who counted two of the men believed to be on the boat as friends, described both as "teddy bears".

Rowdy Fisher had worked with Topi and Boe Gilles.

She was closer to Topi, who worked weekend nights on the door while she was a DJ at a local bar, and spent time with him and his flatmates outside of work.

"A mate just called me this morning and said 'he's gone'."

"[Topi] was a real funny dude, always cracking jokes, just a big cuddly teddy bear. He was always asking about how you were. He was real good on the door, never got rough, but if someone was acting up he would just give them the time of day. He was always very professional with them."

It is also understood one of the men on the sunken boat, Easy Rider, was Southland man Peter Bloxham.

His father believed his son Peter was on board, but it had not been confirmed.

He was at home waiting for news from police, saying he was not ready to talk about his son.

Police iwi liaison officers and a Victim Support team were supporting the families involved.

Bluff Community Board chairwoman Jan Mitchell said this morning the community would do what they could for the families.

"We're rallying," she said.

"The community is rallying together doing what we can."

This week's tragedy brought back memories of the Kotuku, which capsized in the strait six years ago.

"We will be there for the families, whatever it takes. We'll be there and doing what we can. At the moment we are hoping, hoping we will have people come home. If it's different we will, as a community, deal with it at that point."

SEARCH UNDERWAY: The boat Easy Rider was heading north near Stewart Island when it capsized with nine people on board.

LOST AT SEA: Easy Rider, a 38-foot vessel, capsized off Saddle Point at the northern tip of Stewart Island at about midnight on Wednesday.

EASY RIDER SKIPPER: Rewai Karetai.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/6585207/Foveaux-Strait-boating-victims-named