Executive summary
At about 0215 on Saturday, 12 July 1997, the restricted-limit charter vessel "Amigo 1" was en route from Auckland to Great Barrier Island when the skipper made a planned starboard turn too early and the vessel grounded on rocks within the Grey Group Islands, broke up and sank. The skipper was drowned and one of the four passengers is missing, presumed drowned.
Safety issues identified included: over-reliance on global positioning system navigation, inaccessibility and deterioration of life-saving equipment, breach of regulations and poor very high frequency radio coverage in an area of high commercial and pleasure boat activity.
Safety recommendations were made to the Director of Maritime Safety and the Chief Executive of a safe ship management company to address the above safety concerns.
Related Recommendations
Due to the high level of commercial and pleasure boating activity in the Great Barrier Island and Eastern Coromandel areas, as part of MSA's upgrading of coastal VHF coverage, ... produce a Marine Notice (Boats) and an MSA Circular Letter to surveyors reminding mariners and surveyors of the importance of checking and maintaining the quality and accessibility of life-saving and signalling appliances on all boats at all times, and that this be included as a requirement in the relevant rules.
Ensures Maritime Management Services are fulfilling the requirements of a safe ship management provider under the New Zealand Ship Safety Management Code.
He introduce a mandatory system of two-tier entry into safe ship management where operators are issued with Provisional Safe Ship Management Certificates pending full compliance with the New Zealand Ship Safety Management Code. Provisional Certificates should only be issued for a specified period and for ships where: • the requirements under the present Certificate of Survey system are met or exceeded; and • operating crew hold qualifications required by the relevant manning regulations.
Liaise with an [operator of the vessel in accident report 97-202/203] and review the Safety Management Policy Manual for their vessel critically and ensure it contains the relevant operational and safety instruction necessary to comply with the New Zealand Ship Safety Management Code.
Ensures that all safe ship management providers meet or exceed the same minimum standards.
Due to the high level of commercial and pleasure boating activity in the Great Barrier Island and Eastern Coromandel areas, as part of MSA's upgrading of coastal VHF coverage, ... give priority to extending VHF coverage in those areas.