Inquiries & Recommendations

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On the afternoon of 8 January 2011, the passenger vessel Volendam was alongside in Lyttelton. Some of the crew were carrying out routine maintenance on one of the starboard lifeboats when at about 1400 the forward lifeboat fall wire parted and 2 crew members fell into the water; the lifeboat remained suspended by the aft lifeboat fall wire.

[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 1055 on Monday 8 January 2001, a collision occurred at Makikihi Beach Road level crossing between passenger express Train 901 Southerner and a loaded stock truck and trailer unit. The truck had cleared the level crossing but the trailer was only halfway across when the train collided with it and derailed. Two of the train crew and 3 passengers were seriously injured and 24 passengers suffered minor injuries as a result of the collision. A factor contributing to the collision was the failure of the truck driver to give way to Train 901.

On 9 March 2013 a Robinson Helicopter Company (Robinson) R66 helicopter crashed in the North Island's Kaweka Range after experiencing an occurrence known as a 'mast bump'. A main rotor blade then struck the fuselage, causing the helicopter to break up in flight. The pilot, who was the only person on board, was killed.

On Monday 14 May 2001, the passenger charter vessel, "Osprey", with the skipper and 6 passengers on board, departed Tolaga Bay for a half-day fishing trip. At about 0830, while crossing the Uawa River bar outbound, the boat encountered 2 waves substantially larger than those already crossed. The first wave heeled the boat significantly to port, causing all on board to lose their footing. One passenger was thrown overboard. The second wave passed over the boat and caused substantial damage to the boat and flooding of the cockpit.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau published their final report in to this accident on 14 October 2010. The ATSB report AO-2010-016 can be found on their website.

At about 2000 on 14 March 2012, the fishing vessel Easy Rider departed Bluff for Big South Cape Island off the west coast of Stewart Island. The skipper, 2 crew members and 6 passengers were on board. The passengers were to be offloaded at Big South Cape Island, where they were to prepare for the upcoming muttonbird harvest. The skipper intended then to travel to his fishing grounds to engage in commercial fishing.

On Friday 17 November 2000 at about 1840, the fishing charter vessel "La Nina", with 9 passengers and 2 crew on board, was on passage to an anchorage in a bay on Rakitu Island when it grounded on rocks to the north-east of the island. The passengers and crew boarded a liferaft shortly before the vessel foundered. They were later rescued by other vessels, which had answered the Mayday call sent by the skipper. The deckhand was seriously injured during the grounding. Safety issues identified included: • inadequate safety briefing before commencing charter

[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.]

On Tuesday 24 November 2015 at about 1830, a KiwiRail Holdings Limited (KiwiRail) light freight locomotive (EF30157) caught fire while parked at the Palmerston North rail depot. The Fire Service attended, but the fire was not extinguished until later that evening at 2023. The locomotive's transformer compartment suffered fire damage. No-one was injured during the incident.