Executive summary
At about 1200 hours on Friday, 21 May 1999, as the passenger and freight ferry "Arahura" was approaching Picton near the end of a scheduled Wellington to Picton service, the master slowed the vessel to about 5 knots to allow the starboard rescue boat to be launched as part of a drill. As the rescue boat was being lowered, the single quick-release hook attaching the boat to the launching davit released prematurely and the boat fell some 15 m to the sea. A preventer chain fitted as security against such an event parted as the boat fell. One of the 4 crew was left hanging on to a lifeline, 2 crew fell with the boat and suffered serious injuries, and one crew member was fatally injured after managing to hang on momentarily to a lifeline before falling into the boat.
The quick-release hook was not in a good state of repair and failed to carry the load of the rescue boat because it was probably not fully engaged.
Safety issues identified included:
• the crew not being familiar with the safe operation of the rescue boat and its launching system
• the failure to gain maximum safety benefit from a similar non-injury incident some years before the accident
• the loss of "institutional memory" owing to restructuring of management within the operator and the regulator
• the requirement for equal acceptance of a safe ship management system by both shore management and sea staff
• the design and inspection requirements for rescue boats and their launching equipment.
Safety recommendations were made to the managing director of Tranz Rail Limited and the Director of Maritime Safety to address the safety issues.
Related Recommendations
consider extending the requirements of the 1996 SOLAS amendments regarding on-load quick-release hooks, to include off-load quick-release hooks.
critically review each rescue boat and its launching arrangement in the Interisland Line fleet and ensure that the crew are afforded a level of protection against mishap that is commensurate with the function of the craft, paying particular attention to seating arrangements in craft purchased in future.
bring to the attention of the appropriate IMO committee the final version of this report and make a recommendation to the committee that it: consider reviewing the requirements for rescue boats to include a dedicated seating or bracing arrangement designed to minimise injury to the operating crew in the event of mishap or heavy weather operation.
implement a programme to enhance the sea staff's awareness of: • the principles of a safe ship management system • the importance of following a safe ship management system in practice as opposed to following it in a manual.