Royal New Zealand Air Force finds survivors on two boats missing near Kiribati

A boat with two men, a woman and an 11-year-old on board was found on Monday. Photo / Supplied

The Royal New Zealand Air Force has found two boats with seven survivors onboard, including an 11-year-child, after they were reported missing near Kiribati.

A P-3K2 Orion left Auckland early Monday morning to search for a five-metre vessel that had left Makin Island on Friday with three adults and a child on board.

The boat had been reported overdue from a trip from Makin Island to Butaritari Island, Kiribati.

However, New Zealand search crews found another missing vessel, the Woodhaven III, approximately 150 nautical miles from where it was thought to have gone missing.

Shortly after, the crew then found the first boat they had been tasked to search for within 10 nautical miles of the Woodhaven III.

One of the two missing boats from Kiribati found by New Zealand Air Force crew. Photo / Supplied

The US Coastguard had been tasked with finding the Woodhaven III before it was discovered by the New Zealand crew.

The search crew said the survivors on both vessels appeared to be in good health.

Survival packs with water and locator beacons were dropped to both boats and nearby vessels were contacted to rescue the survivors.

Air Component Commander Air Commodore Shaun Sexton said it was a great result to be able to locate the survivors on both boats.

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