The only specialised marine publication in Oceania that focuses on the maritime industry, from super yachts to small craft to large commercial ships, including coastal shipping, tugs, tow boats, barges, ferries, tourist, sport-fishing craft
Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/39567
TRANSPORT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION COMMISSION ACT 1990 The principal purpose of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission shall be to determine the circumstances and causes of accidents and incidents, with a view to avoiding similar occurrences in the future, rather than to ascribe blame to any person. COASTGUARD FOLLOWS COMMISSION'S FINDINGS C oastguard New Zealand is New Zealand's primary inshore maritime search and rescue service. Its tasks range from replenishing empty fuel tanks in daylight and good weather to responding to distress calls in poor weather in unfamiliar locations. But the pressure to conduct the higher end of these missions safely and quickly in various conditions makes the Coastguard operations inherently dangerous, says the Transport Accident Compensation Commission. "A better realisation is needed that some call-outs will simply be beyond the capability of available resources." The Commission was commenting on four separate incidents involving Coastguard craft between March 4, 2009 and March 6, 2010. It made six observations following its investigations into the incidents: • each occurred at night • three occurred when the skipper was at the helm, rather than a dedicated helmsperson • three occurred during inclement weather • there was inadequate crew resource management in every case • three involved below-standard navigation for dedicated emergency response vessels, and • in three cases the standard of navigation was not what should be expected from dedicated emergency response vessels. These observations led the Commission to look at Coastguard NZ's systems and the wider search and rescue system in which Coastguard NZ operates. In the first incident, the yacht Indian Summer broadcast on channel 16 at about 0343 on March 4, 2009 that she was "in some distress … quite big waves." Whangarei Maritime Radio received the call and about 20 minutes later, Maritime Operations Centre advised the Rescue Centre New Zealand of the situation. After a series of calls, the two crew of Indian Summer asked for assistance at about 0426. The MOC telephoned Coastguard Northern Region, which said it would take about 45 minutes for one of its vessels to reach the yacht. The CNR paged the members of Tutukaka Coastguard for a "boat callout", a non-urgent incident. Two of the duty crew, including the duty skipper, and three non-duty crew responded and arrived at the Tutukaka marina. The 9.5m Dive! Tutukaka Rescue, powered by two 250hp outboards, departed with the skipper and five crew on board. The skipper was standing between the helmsman and the navigator. After clearing Tutukaka Harbour, the navigator said he was becoming seasick, so the skipper reassigned the helmsman to navigation duties and took over the helm. When Dive! Tutukaka Rescue was in the vicinity of the wreck of the former frigate Waikato she changed course several times, at one point nearly reversing the track. When asked about these alterations after the accident, no-one on board could recall them being made. At about 0542, the boat crew called the Indian Summer, saying they had spotted them when a crew member told the skipper he thought the light was a house on the shore. Seconds later, another crew member saw a rock shining in the vessel's spotlight. He managed to shout "Rock!" before Dive! Tutukaka Rescue hit the rock bow on at about 15 knots. The crew was thrown violently around the cockpit. Two were seriously injured and three sustained moderate to serious injuries. The bow was extensively damaged and the bow pontoon was ruptured. Both motors had stopped but a crew member was able to restart one and move her off the rock. Another crew member transmitted a Mayday call at about 0545. CNR received the call and organised for a helicopter to fly to the scene. Indian Summer then advised they had lost their anchor and the motor would not start. Whangarei Maritime issued a Mayday Relay message for both stricken vessels. Some of the Coastguard crew were able to move the Dive! Tutukaka away from the rock. The helicopter evacuated the five Coastguard crew at about 0710 and then went to the yacht's assistance. Meanwhile, the Coastguard vessel Whangarei Rescue and a privately owned Arun class rescue vessel, Lifeboat 5218, with a Coastguard crew on board, arrived on the scene. Lifeboat 5218 guided the Indian Summer into the safety of Ngunguru Harbour and later towed the Dive! Tutukaka Rescue back to Tutukaka, assisted by the Whangarei Rescue. In the second incident, the Manukau Coastguard vessel Trusts Rescue and the wave-piercing trimaran Earthrace took part in a promotional event at Cornwallis Wharf, on Auckland's West Coast, on May 31, 2009. Both boat crews discussed the best way to cross the notorious bar at the entrance to the Manukau Harbour after the event. The skipper wanted to cross the bar in daylight, but the crews decided on about 1930 to 2000, even though it would be dark. At about 1920, Trusts Rescue, with six Coastguard crew and an Earthrace volunteer on board, left her base at French Bay and met the Earthrace at Lady Bell Point before proceeding to the harbour entrance. At about 1952, Trusts Rescue proceeded out of the harbour at 7-8 knots with the Earthrace following behind. A crew member radioed CNR to relay their plans. A strong sou'westerly pushed the boats toward the North Bank, with the Earthrace on Trusts Rescue's starboard quarter. Earthrace contacted the Trusts Rescue to say they were altering course to port to head further south and also asked the other boat to increase speed, as the Earthrace did not operate well at low speeds. The Trusts Rescue increased her speed to about 16 knots but the Earthrace passed the Trusts Rescue on her port side. At about 2009, the 12.5m Trusts Rescue was passing over the bar at the entrance to the South West Channel when she encountered a succession of large, steep waves. There was little ambient light and the helmsman failed to see the wave until it was too late. The bow pitched steeply upwards on the front of the wave, crested the top and fell into the trough behind, landing on her port side. Some of the crew were thrown onto the port side of the cabin. A second wave followed close behind and as the vessel still had September/October 2011 Professional Skipper 73