MO-1997-205

At about 1600 on Saturday, 11 October 1997, the Wellington Coastguard rigid inflatable craft "UDC Rescue" was engaged on a routine patrol near the entrance to Wellington Harbour, when the craft suffered a failure of the bags that secured the buoyancy bladders to the hull, resulting in two of the four bladders separating from the craft. Two crew were transferred to an assisting vessel and the skipper and one remaining crew member were able to beach the craft without further damage. Nobody was injured in the incident. Factors contributing to the bag failure included degradation of the bag fabric, weakening of the bag fabric by the stitched seams and water invading the bags after the securing tongue detached. Because of safety actions taken before and after the incident, no safety recommendations were deemed necessary.