The crew of the 'Anita' was still being held in police custody while they continue to wait for a flight home. A Warrant of Commitment hearing took place on sep 29 with the court granting INZ permission to detain the crew until Oct 2. The crew, aged in their late twenties to early thirties, were intercepted by NZ Customs in the afternoon of Sep 25 as they headed into Opua. NZ Customs had been alerted that the boat was still planning to breach New Zealand's border restrictions after being denied exemption Visas by the Ministry of Health. The German nationals were taken to Auckland where they are being detained in police custody. Arrangements were underway to send them home but the limited flights out of New Zealand due to Covid-19 meant it could take a few days for the trio to depart. The yacht was moved from the Quarantine Dock to another berth at the Opua Marina on Sep 25 where it remained while an investigation was carried out by NZ Customs. The vessel was liable for seizure and duty liability under the Customs and Excise Act and was being held in Customs' control pending further investigation and evaluation. The timeframe for the investigation was unknown at this stage. Residents in homes overlooking the bay spotted the yacht coming in the afternoon with a yellow flag on its mast indicating it was from overseas. The 'Anita' arrived about 3 p.m., escorted by the Customs NZ patrol vessel 'Hawk V'. The crew was making no secret of the yacht's arrival flying its yellow maritime flag which was used to indicate that a vessel was free of quarantinable disease and request boarding and inspection. There was a large crowd gathered at the marina including customs officers, three police cars and a pop-up Covid testing station. While no charges have been laid against the crew, Immigration NZ said the refusal of entry to New Zealand could have long-term consequences. Their visa waiver status could be suspended and it could affect their ability to travel to other countries. The Ministry of Health confirmed at the weekend that all three had returned negative Covid-19 tests and had been isolating on the boat for more than 14 days. Report with photo: https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/german-crew-who-entered-nz-unlawfully-still-waiting-for-flight-home/