Fishing boat missing off Fiordland coast

Southland police are tonight coordinating a search for a missing fishing vessel off the coast of Fiordland.

Sergeant Ian Martin says at about 5pm this evening another fishing vessel located a fuel slick approximately three kilometres northwest of the mouth of Milford Sound.

At 6.30pm an inflated life raft was located 12 kilometres southwest of the oil slick by one of the fishing vessels assisting in the search.

There was no one onboard the life raft.

One life ring and some other items have also been found.

Three fishing vessels and two helicopters equipped with night vision goggles and thermal imaging equipment have been involved in the search.

The two helicopters stopped searching at 8.30pm because of the weather.

The three fishing vessels are continuing to search.

A Coastguard fixed wing aircraft from Invercargill will be involved in the search tomorrow morning.

The name of the vessel and the identity of the two people believed to be onboard will not be released until next of kin are informed.

Photo: stock.xchng