Betty G Freed From East Cape Coast

By John Freer

After being lost at sea for 12 days and being part of the type of drama, movies comes from, the Betty G is now safely under tow heading towards Tauranga. She is the 12 metre launch from which her owner and skipper parted company while out on a solo fishing trip near the Alderman Islands.

If Will Fransen’s story of spending nearly 24 hours in the water off the Whangamata coast drifting some 20 kilometres is not enough, the fact his boat is also now safe, caps the storyline. Being in gear the boat steamed away from Will when he fell in the water. He was rescued by three fishermen.

On Sunday, the Betty G washed up on the East Cape at an isolated gravel foreshore beach, near Waihau Bay. This afternoon shortly after high tide the Betty G was dragged off the beach.

The moment was shared and not lost on owner Will Fransen and the many locals who assisted in making the salvage possible.

Waihau Bay Sport Fishing Club secretary and local Coastguard member, Christine Elmiger, said it was a great sight to see the Betty G under tow.

She gave a shout out to the many locals who assisted but what she wasn’t happy with was the overnight occurrence on the stricken boat. Vandals during the night went and stripped gear off the boat including fishing equipment along with cutting wires and smashing a cell phone.

CFM also spoke to Betty George this afternoon whose husband built the vessel, she said both Russell and herself were thrilled by the outcome describing the result as absolutely marvellous. You can hear an interview with Christine – open the link below.