Two Commission investigators are in Auckland gathering evidence into the accident. They are also being supported by staff in Wellington.
The Commission has been monitoring the Police response to the tragedy and liaising with the Police to obtain the necessary information to inform the Commission’s investigation.
Chief Investigator Captain Tim Burfoot said it was early days in the investigation. “We have a great deal of work to do but a lot of useful information has already been gathered. The local people and the Police have been very helpful.”
Two Commission investigators will be on the ground in the Auckland area for much of this week. They will be joined by two other investigators to assist with interviews and the initial gathering of evidence.
“There are a number of people we need to interview. We also need to work around the family arrangements for those who lost their lives in this tragic accident. This is not an easy time for those families.”
The Commission’s inquiry will go through a number of stages including the gathering of evidence, analysis, the preparation of a draft report and publication of a final report.
“Any safety issues identified in the early phases of the inquiry can be addressed through urgent safety recommendations at any stage. It’s too early to say whether the Commission is likely to consider doing this prior to issuing its final report.”
The role of the Commission is to determine the circumstances and causes of accidents and incidents with a view to avoiding similar occurrences in the future.