An attempt to board the yacht of a missing sailor will be made at first light on Monday near the Chatham Islands if conditions allow.
The 11-metre Tafadzwa was spotted drifting 60 nautical miles west of the Chatham Islands by an Air Force Orion out on a training flight.
Experienced sailor Paul van Rensburg left Tauranga with his dog on 12 March to sail to Gisborne, where he was due to start a new job. The South African was reported missing about two weeks ago.
The Rescue Coordination Centre says the skipper of a fishing vessel was unable to board Mr van Rensburg's yacht on Sunday evening due to lack of light and heavy seas.
The skipper used a loud hailer to try and attract the attention of anyone on board, but got no response.
The fishing vessel will remain alongside Tafadzwa on Sunday night and an attempt to board the vessel will be made on Monday.
The Rescue Coordination Centre confirmed the yacht's main sail and gib were up when spotted from the air, although they were extensively damaged.
A search operation for the yacht was called off on 18 March after an aerial sweep covering nearly 330,000 square kilometres of ocean.
