TRANSPORT Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) experts are on the scene of the loss of a tourist excursion vessel which struck rocks in Akaroa on New Zealand’s Banks Peninsula on Saturday afternoon [31 January].
The 17-metre catamaran Black Cat had 38 passengers and three crew on board for a wildlife cruise when it came to grief in Nīkau Palm Valley Bay. All on board were safely evacuated to nearby vessels without injury, although some passengers were distressed.
Speaking to Radio New Zealand, TAIC chief investigator Louise Cook said getting the facts straight was vital, and she was keen to hear from people who were on-board or witnessed the accident, and to receive any photos or video footage.
The investigation team would be seeking and recovering any wreckage, securing electronic records - including photos, videos, and location data on people's cellphones - and interviewing witnesses.
Environment Canterbury (ECAN) declared a Tier 2 response on Saturday, saying Black Cat was carrying 2,240 litres of marine diesel fuel on board and around 120 litres of other oils in sealed containers and engines combined. Most of the uncontained pollutants are believed to have been released in the initial grounding, prompting the establishment of an exclusion zone.
Today the body reported the vessel was more damaged than first thought and the first stage of the salvage and recovery operation would see it fully submerged in deep water to prevent further damage.
However, in a subsequent update ECAN said recovery teams attempted phase one of the two phase removal operation this morning, it was found the hull has settled hard on a large rock and was unable to be moved into deeper water as planned. Forecast bad weather for the next two days means recovery efforts will be paused. All efforts have been made to retrieve hazardous and loose materials from the wreck.
“All parties involved continue to be committed to the removal of the wreck, in its entirety from this sensitive area,” ECAN said.
“Debris collection and environmental monitoring will continue, and the exclusion zone remains in place. We ask all water users to respect these restrictions to ensure the safety of responders and the public.”
Black Cat Cruises, which has launched its own investigation, said it was the first such incident in over 40 years.