New Zealand plane rescues two different boats that had been adrift at sea for days

Military spokesperson says one boat had drifted 280km from its intended course

Crew members of one of the rescued boats wave to Royal New Zealand Air Force plane near Makin Island in Kiribati (RNZAF)

An air force plane in New Zealand rescued seven people stranded in two boats near the remote island nation of Kiribati on Monday.

The Air Force Orion crew found the two boats within 10 nautical miles of each other after they went missing in separate incidents last week. They dropped survival kits with water and locator beacons to those on board.

All the survivors appeared to be in good health, authorities said.