Inquiries & Recommendations

Ngā ketuketutanga me ngā tūtohunga

[A preliminary investigation showed that the circumstances were not likely to have significant implications for transport safety. Consistent with section 13 of the TAIC Act the Commission discontinued the investigation and no report was published.]

[A preliminary investigation showed that the circumstances were not likely to have significant implications for transport safety. Consistent with section 13 of the TAIC Act the Commission discontinued the investigation and no report was published.]

At about 0914 on Wednesday, 31 May 2000, the passenger ferries "Quickcat" and "Quickcat II" were operating on the ferry service between Waiheke Island and Auckland when they collided about 0.5 miles east of the northern leading light in Auckland Harbour. The visibility in the area at the time of the collision was about 50 m due to fog. There was a total of 127 passengers and 7 crew aboard the 2 vessels, none of whom were injured. Safety issues identified included: • the speed of the 2 vessels in restricted visibility • the inefficient use of radar for collision avoidance

[A preliminary investigation showed that the circumstances were not likely to have significant implications for transport safety. Consistent with section 13 of the TAIC Act the Commission discontinued the investigation and no report was published.]

[Investigated on behalf of the Government of Fiji. Direct any inquiries for copy of the report to the Minister of Transport of that State]

On Friday 1 April 2005, Train 2100 was a scheduled empty passenger service being positioned to Waitakere to start passenger operations for the day. At 0627, soon after the train had passed through Ranui station, the coupling between the locomotive and the guard’s van parted. As a result of the parting, the automatic brake system lost all air pressure and brought the train to a stop.

On Sunday 28 June 1998, at approximately 1650 hours, Train 902, the northbound Southerner express passenger, derailed at Islington at slow speed. The rear of the train was routed to the down main when motorised points moved under the train. There were no injuries. Causal factors were non-compliances with intended procedures for points operation. Safety issues identified were the suitability of those procedures and the effectiveness of compliance monitoring. A number of safety actions were taken by the operator and 5 safety recommendations were made to address the safety issues.

On Thursday 25 April 2002 at about 1242 hours, a near collision occurred between passenger express Train 700 TranzCoastal and an empty petrol tanker, at Vickerman Street level crossing, near Blenheim. As the train approached the level crossing, the locomotive engineer saw the tanker obstructing the crossing and immediately sounded the horn and applied the emergency brakes. The train stopped about 5 m short of the crossing, by which time the tanker had reversed clear. There were no injuries.

Please see TSB website for the full report using the link in the sidebar to the right.

On Wednesday 27 July 2005, at about 1428, wagon ZH519 on Train 245, a Karioi to Wellington express freight service, derailed near Ohingaiti, between Mangaweka and Mangaonoho, at 225.127 km on the North Island Main Trunk. The derailed wagon was dragged about one kilometre before the train parted and the brakes were applied automatically. The wood pulp inside the wagon caught fire as a result of the friction heat created by the derailed wheel sets, piercing the wagon deck.

In November 2016, fishing charter vessel Francie capsized in rough water crossing Kaipara Harbour bar. 8 people died, 3 survived. More would have survived had all worn lifejackets, more so if fitted with crotch straps. TAIC calls for lifejacket types to match the activities of commercial restricted-limit vessels, rather than just how far out they can go. A higher standard lifejacket should be mandatory on commercial vessels operating out of bar harbours and off exposed coastlines.