MO-2008-205

At about 0300 on 27 July 2008 the fishing vessel San Cuvier dragged its anchor and grounded on rocks close to Tarakeha Point to the east of Opotiki in the Bay of Plenty. The skipper drowned and another crew member was missing presumed drowned after they attempted to abandon the vessel. Another 2 crew members survived by scaling the rocks close to the stricken vessel.
The forecast for the area was for storm-force winds and a heavy swell from the north. Awaawakino, where the vessel was anchored, was not a suitable anchorage for the predicted and actual weather conditions.
No anchor watch was being maintained at the time. Had it been, the grounding might have been prevented. Anecdotal evidence suggests that anchor watches are not routinely maintained in a large number of inshore fishing vessels in New Zealand.
The anchor fitted to the San Cuvier was estimated to be smaller than required by maritime rules, but it is doubtful whether a fully compliant anchor would have held in the conditions at the anchorage.
Safety recommendations have been made to the Director of Maritime New Zealand to gather data on the number of deaths and injuries within New Zealand caused or contributed to by not maintaining effective anchor watches, and to compare this with overseas data and use the information to educate the New Zealand fishing industry on the prudence of keeping an effective anchor watch.
This executive summary summarises the main points contained in this report to provide the reader with a high-level overview of the circumstances and causes of the accident, and the Transport Accident Investigation Commission’s findings and recommendations. For a full description, readers should refer to the main part of this report and its appendices.