The crew member was reported missing on Thursday around 8.30pm.
A crew member went overboard the fishing trawler Nereus roughly 96 nautical miles east of the Auckland Islands and has not been sighted in three days despite an active search by Maritime NZ's Rescue Co-ordination Centre. The incident, involving a foreign national under investigation by Maritime NZ, highlights persistent gaps in maritime safety protocols for remote Southern Ocean fishing operations.
It is the second Southern Ocean man overboard case reported in six weeks.
The Southern Ocean's harsh conditions and the vessel's isolation left little chance for outside help after a crew member fell overboard from the Nereus.
The person went overboard 100 nautical miles southeast of the Auckland Islands.
