Inquiries & Recommendations

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The Japanese fishing vessel Chokyu Maru No.68, with 27 crew aboard, grounded on rocks near The Noises island group while inbound to the Auckland pilot boarding area.

ZK-EVK departed from Wanaka on a VFR scenic flight to Milford Sound but failed to arrive. Wreckage from the aircraft was subsequently located on steep snow covered mountainous terrain at elevations up to 5400 feet. Following initial impact, major portions of the aircraft, including the fuselage, had fallen over precipitous bluffs. The pilot and the nine overseas tourists on board all received fatal injuries in the accident.

Passenger train derailed by landslip debris in heavy rain. Safety issues: rail network resilience (slope stability in intense rain); automated emergency alerts; driver training; radio coverage and checking by drivers and regulator; derailment emergency response. Recommendations call for action by KiwiRail, Transdev Wellington, Auckland One Rail.

Grounding of a pilot vessel in restricted visibility near Bluff highlights how routine navigation habits and the use of electronic tools play a critical role in maritime safety.

On Tuesday, 15 December 1998, at about 1510, the Ukraine registered fishing vessel "Meridian 1" was steaming off Bluff when it grounded on Anchor Ridge close outside Bluff Harbour entrance. The grounding happened when the watchkeeping officer was distracted and failed to adequately monitor the progress of the vessel. After the grounding a Southport (NZ) Limited pilot boarded "Meridian 1" and with the assistance of the 2 harbour tugs, Meridian 1 was refloated and towed into Bluff to assess the damage. No one was injured due to the grounding but "Meridian 1" suffered minor damage.

On Saturday 6 July 1996, Hughes 269C ZK-HVV was engaged in a series of NZ Army reconnaissance flights in an area between Waiouru and Taihape. When the helicopter failed to return from its last flight, a search was initiated and the wreckage of ZK-HVV was found some 900 m from the operating site. The pilot and one of the two passengers were killed and the second passenger seriously injured. The helicopter had collided with the ground while being operated at low level. Local loss of depth perception due to snow cover was a probable contributing factor. No new safety issues were raised.

The helicopter suffered extensive damage and the pilot escaped with minor injuries during an emergency landing attempted after rotor power was lost during an agricultural spraying operation. Contaminated fuel was very likely the cause of the power loss; the operator’s refuelling procedures left opportunities for contamination to occur. TAIC made recommendations for more educational material to alert operators to contamination risks, and for the promotion of lessons learned from this accident.

There was a fire in the cargo hold of the Kokopo Chief while berthed at the Port of Tauranga. An alarm alerted the crew to smoke in one of the cargo holds and they activated the fire extinguishing system. The main cargo on the ship was understood to have been dressed timber. Deck containers with dangerous goods were removed. There were no reported injuries. [As initially reported, subject to change, not official findings.]

On 16 April 1995 at 1425 hours the Wave-Piercing Catamaran "Condor 10", inbound on approaches to Picton Harbour, suffered a total blackout of main power and ran aground on "The Snout". No injuries were sustained by passengers or crew and damage to the vessel was slight. Causal factors included mechanical failure, fault analysis procedures, and faults in setting up and testing the vessel's electrical systems. Recommendations included design changes, better management of maintenance, and more stringent testing procedures on a more regular basis.

At about 0215 on Saturday, 12 July 1997, the restricted-limit charter vessel "Amigo 1" was en route from Auckland to Great Barrier Island when the skipper made a planned starboard turn too early and the vessel grounded on rocks within the Grey Group Islands, broke up and sank. The skipper was drowned and one of the four passengers is missing, presumed drowned.