MO-2003-203

Jet boats "Wilderness Jet 3" and un-named private jet boat, collision, Dart River, Glenorchy, Queenstown, New Zealand, 22 February 2003
Status
Closed
Occurrence Date
Report Publication Date
Jurisdiction
NZ
Legacy Inquiry Number
03-203
On Saturday 22 February 2003 at about 1130, the commercial jet boat "Wilderness Jet 3" was travelling downstream on the Dart River, with a driver and 4 passengers on board, when it collided with Private Jet Boat proceeding upstream with a driver and one passenger on board. The boats came to rest on a shingle bank with the commercial boat on top of the private boat. The Private Jet Boat was extensively damaged. Both drivers and 4 of the passengers sustained minor injuries.
Safety issues identified included:
· the concentration of traffic on the Dart River
· the radio traffic on the Dart River
· the promulgation of information concerning private jet boaters on the river
· the training of persons in charge of a pleasure craft

Safety recommendations were made to the Chief Executive of Queenstown Lakes District Council, the Managing Director of Dart Wilderness Adventures and the General Manager of Dart River Safaris.
Location
Glenorchy (-44.722832,168.328400) [may be approximate]