Immigration New Zealand has thrown the book at the crew of a German yacht who turned up in the Bay of Islands without permission.

They're being put on the first flight home for breaking Covid-19 border restrictions.

Their 16-metre vessel Anita arrived in Opua on Friday afternoon despite being declined permission to enter the country by the ministry of health.

It comes as yachties lobby the government to allow them to enter New Zealand, to shelter from the upcoming pacific cyclone season.

Guy Chester, the roving rear commodore for the Ocean Cruising Club, told Heather du Plessis-Allan that yachties are getting stressed about not being allowed to move out of the Pacific cyclone season, with both New Zealand and Australia denying them entry. 

He did not want to say if deporting the yachties was too harsh, but hopes the Government understands the struggle. 

"We need to get boats out of the Pacific cyclone zone, and it is a humanitarian issue." 

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