Enchanter Tragedy: Final lacking physique discovered

Northland Rescue Helicopter pilot Lance Donnelly talks about the rescue of the fishing boat Enchanter. Video / Northland Rescue Helicopter / Michael Cunningham

The fifth and final missing person was found dead after the charter fishing ship Enchanter sank off the North Cape on Sunday evening.

The person is understood to have been found in the hull, which members of the diving squad examined this afternoon after being found yesterday.

Ten people were on board when the Enchanter sank in rough seas around 11 p.m. Sunday. A large wave reportedly hit the boat near Murimotu Island, breaking the bridge.

Five people, including the ship’s skipper, Lance Goodhew, were rescued by the Northland rescue helicopter.

The HMNZS Taupo assisted in the search for the last missing person on the charter ship Enchanter. Photo / Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust

Four bodies had been recovered by nightfall yesterday. A full-scale air and water search continued today until the fifth was found.

Among the deceased are Richard Bright, 63, and his buddy Mike Lovett, 72, who packed their car Wednesday morning and drove to Mangōnui to take part in the five-day fishing charter.

Longtime friend Rick Williams caught up with Bright for a pint at his bar, the Group One Turf Bar, just before leaving on Tuesday night, and also met Lovett, who worked at his thoroughbred stud farm.

Richard Bright of Cambridge died in the sinking of the charter fishing ship Enchanter. Photo / Included

It was the second time the couple had gone to the Three Kings on a fishing charter.

“They were there once and it was Richard’s wish to hook a marlin. He hadn’t gotten one. He had caught every other type of fish so this year he went back to catch a marlin.”

Yesterday was a tough day for the stud manager after losing three friends – Bright, Lovett and 43-year-old father-of-three and Te Awamutu builder Mark Sanders – to the ocean. Two other Cambridge men are also believed to be missing or dead.

Mike Lovett had taken time off from The Oaks stud farm in Cambridge to take part in the fishing charter. Photo / Included

“It was just an incredibly bad day. I’m not even family and I feel awful.”

He described Bright as “sympathetic” and said his death was a terrible loss not only to his friends and family but to the wider Cambridge community, to whom he gave a great deal of money through his bar.

Gael Sanders, Mark’s mother, said she heard around 8am Monday morning that something had happened.

“He had spoken to his family around 6 p.m [Sunday] Night. He has a wife and three children and had such a wonderful time and was just so happy. He caught some great fish and it was the time of his life.”

The 43-year-old father loved fishing and would often go fishing with his father in Kawhia, Gael said.

“He just loved his fishing so much,” she said.

“The only nice thing is that we’re so happy they actually found his body. This is something very special. I hate thinking about him alone out there. Last night at six o’clock when he was talking to his family and he was talking to the three kids and his wife, he was just so happy and it was just amazing.”