A Pāpāmoa family on a cruise to Fiji found themselves thrust into a maritime emergency this week, their holiday taking an unexpected and sombre turn.

A stricken yacht, one of its masts broken and its crew in peril, had called out for help.

Three New Zealanders on board the yacht were seriously injured on Sunday night after being hit by the broken mast off the coast of Fiji. Sadly, one of the three aboard deceased before the cruise ship arrived at the scene.

Pāpāmoa resident Dyanne Edwards and her family were booked on the P&O Pacific Explorer cruise to Fiji.

Excited to be finally going on a cruise following the restrictive years of Covid, Dyanne posted to her Facebook page, sharing the family adventure with friends who enjoyed the updates. She mentioned two metre waves, and then a couple of days into the cruise, on Sunday night, everything changed.

“The captain has just received a mayday call and has been asked by the RCC New Zealand to alter course and go assist,” wrote Dyanne.

She watched along with other passengers as the incident unfolded, with the cruise ship making its way to the yacht with its broken mast just south-west of Nadi.

The Pacific Explorer disembarked from Auckland on September 22 for its eight day round trip journey around Fiji before returning to Auckland on September 30.

Formerly known as the Dawn Princess the cruise ship can hold a maximum capacity of 2,395 people.

Dyanne says the cruise ship had to cancel the Suva stop.

“We got told at 7pm that RCC NZ had asked us to detour west due to a mayday call.”

She says by then the waves were four to five metres high and rough “but sea sickness tablets are great”.

The captain managed to locate the troubled vessel and one of the passengers rescued was taken on board.

“One person was rescued off the yacht in the early hours this morning. The fact that they got the first person off was amazing,” says Dyanne.

She says one person had to remain onboard the stricken yacht due to their condition.

“Due to the limited mobility of the second person it was not safe enough for them to remove the second person.”

A second vessel arriving at the scene of the stricken yacht. Photo: Dyanne Edwards.

Maritime New Zealand's Rescue Co-ordination Centre says one person was transferred to the cruise for medical treatment, but more help was needed.

"Two further support vessels are expected later today [Monday], one at about midday and another at 4pm," a spokesperson says.

"Support from the vessels is needed to assist the other people on-board the yacht as, due to conditions and the comparative size of the Pacific Explorer, assisting the remaining people on-board the yacht isn't possible."

RCC NZ requested that the Pacific Explorer cruise ship monitor the yacht from a distance. The two other vessels that had responded to Maritime New Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Centre also arrived at the scene - the Beast and the Savenca - a Fijian naval vessel.

“We had to stay near the yacht until the Fiji warship arrived and a 40 metre super yacht,” says Dyanne. “Two people rescued and another unfortunately was deceased.”

Due to the rescue, the Pacific Explorer missed their Suva port and passengers had a day on the ship before heading on to Port Denarau.

“Both the survivors are being taken to Fiji, as is the body of the deceased. Consular services have been notified,” says a RCCNZ spokesperson.

"Continuing our long-standing practice of assisting mariners at sea, we can confirm Pacific Explorer supported the rescue of a distressed yacht early this morning south-west of Nadi, Fiji,” says a P and O Cruises spokesperson.

"We'd like to take this opportunity to thank our crew, led by Captain Alan Nixon, for their immense efforts in very poor conditions, as well as our guests on board for their understanding.”

The Beast and the Savenca - a Fijian naval vessel, at the scene of the stricken yacht. Photo: Dyanne Edwards.