Coastal Patrols at Fifty Feet
When a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Seasprite helicopter is fifty feet above the ocean it’s not just a passing visit.
Number 6 Squadron’s patrols in support of the Ministry for Primary Industries fisheries compliance patrols are definitive and unmistakable, as the helicopters quickly cover hard-to-reach coastline monitoring compliance and recording infringements.
In a recent operation, a SH-2G(I) Seasprite helicopter and Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) crew took two MPI inspectors aboard for a patrol along the Kapiti, Porirua and Wellington shorelines.
Navy load masters are trained in photography, useful when the helicopter circles a vessel of interest to capture it from all sides. In this latest mission, that role fell to Chief Petty Officer Helicopter Loadmaster Zach Taylor.
“This area is a very difficult part of the coastline to police. If the sea gets up, you can’t launch boats to do patrols. When we fly up and down, we’re cruising at 50 to 100 feet. It’s really low, and we get authorisation to do that.”
The work continued into the Cook Strait where vessels were again observed and photographed.
“At that height, it’s loud and obvious that the RNZAF is out there, making tremendous efforts to ensure whatever we’re observing is above board. These patrols are very important in recognising what needs to be followed up.”
