The shadow of a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P3 Orion maritime search aircraft can be seen on low-level clouds as it flies over the southern Indian Ocean looking for missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 March 31, 2014. REUTERS/Rob Griffith/Pool
The shadow of a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P3 Orion maritime search aircraft can be seen on low-level clouds as it flies over the southern Indian Ocean looking for missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 March 31, 2014. REUTERS/Rob Griffith/Pool REUTERS/Rob Griffith/Pool

A fishing boat in New Zealand has caught a small plane in its nets when it was in the ocean near Cape Barrier on August 7. Reports said the plane wreckage was belongs to a man who was declared missing in his homemade bi-plane months ago. According to his estranged wife, a Sanford fishing trawler finding the plane was "like a miracle."

A homemade bi-plane owned and piloted by Daroish Kraidy, 53, was reported missing near the area where the fishing boat hauled the wreckage. An extensive search was conducted to find Kraidy but the crew failed to find any trace of him.

Kraidy's wife, Judy, told police she was relieved to hear that the plane and her husband were found. She said she only knew Kraidy went out to sea but didn't know the exact location. She added if her husband was to be found in the future, it will be "purely by accident."

Trish Sherson, spokesperson for fishing company Sanford, said the crew of San Kawhai was trawling for fish when they were surprised to find a plane inside the nets. Trawl nets are usually dragged in a wide arc along the ocean floor to catch fish.

The fishing boat reported the discovery to New Zealand police. Civil Aviation Authority's Mike Richards said the small plane belongs to Kraidy since it was the only missing plane he knew of in the country. He described Kraidy's Acro Sport plane as relatively lightweight since it is made from light materials like wood and aluminium with fabric for wings.

Kraidy was reported missing after he took off with his plane on March 25 from Ardmore airfield near Auckland. Authorities said his plane disappeared from radar screens which led them to conclude that he had either switched off the plane's transponder or flew at a low altitude.

His former wife had noted before the plane was discovered that Kraidy's plane went down 17 days after Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared with 239 passengers on board.

The crew from the fishing boat brought the wreckage near Great Barrier Island which is 90 kilometres northeast of Auckland and met with New Zealand police. The authorities said they will be using a barge to transport the wrecked plane with the body inside back to Auckland.