SUNKEN DRUGS BOAT RAISED

A yacht that was at the centre of a major drug-smuggling operation was
pulled from the bottom of Gisborne harbour yesterday.

Two holes were found in the hull of the Lonebird, which sank at its
inner-harbour mooring in September 2000.

The yacht, formerly owned by convicted drug smuggler Sir Thomas Graham Fry
- - he added the "Sir" to his name by deed poll - has been contracted for
removal by Australia's proceeds-of-crime unit, the Insolvency and Trustee
Service.

Fry was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 25
years, for his role in bringing 500kg of cocaine into Australia in February
2000.

During his seven-month trial in Sydney in 2001, the court heard that
Lonebird was thought to have been bought to transfer drugs from off the
coast of New Zealand to Australia.

But it was not seaworthy enough and sank during a storm in September 2000
in unknown circumstances.

Months of legal battles over the ownership of the vessel were resolved only
recently.

Tauranga company Bay Underwater Services began to free Lonebird from the
bottom of the harbour on Tuesday.

The holes were discovered as divers and salvage staff worked through the night.

Bay Underwater Services director Rob Campbell said the holes were about
300mm in diameter. A porthole was also broken.

A quick repair job was done overnight to prevent more water flowing into
the vessel as it was lifted.

Three pumps removed 4500 litres of water a minute from the vessel and by
7.30am yesterday, half of Lonebird had been raised out of the water.

Shortly after 8am, the weight came off the chains attached to a crane and
the yacht appeared to be floating.

Repairs were to be made on Lonebird today before it is towed to Midway
Beach and run aground at high tide.

The yacht will then be taken to a quarry and buried.