Russell ferry collison: Investigators ‘very pleased’ with response to call for witnesses, photos

The wreck of the Waitere, better known as the Blue Ferry, at Bay of Islands Boatyard in Ōpua. Photo / Peter de Graaf

One of three organisations charged with investigating the sinking of a Russell ferry says it’s had a great response to its call for photos, videos and wreckage.

The Waitere, better known as the Blue Ferry, sank on April 13 after a collision with a high-speed powerboat that also left the skipper with critical head and spinal injuries.

Following the crash, the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) urged the public to send any photos or videos of the two vessels, and to keep an eye out for any wreckage which may have washed ashore.

While TAIC had placed a protection order on both vessels and any wreckage, people were permitted to pick up debris from the collision to stop it being washed away, as long as they contacted police or TAIC as soon as possible.

TAIC spokesman Simon Pleasants said the commission had “a very good response” to its call for photos and videos in the first few days after the collision.

“Dozens of people contacted us so we’re very pleased with that. We’ve also been talking to a couple of places with CCTV cameras trained on the Bay. It’s really important to get hold of that CCTV footage before it starts recording over itself.”

Pleasants said there had also been a good response from people who had found wreckage washed up along the shore.

“We’re talking to the harbourmaster and other officials about recovering that wreckage and bringing it to our facility at Ōpua,” he said.

TAIC still had three investigators on the ground in the Bay of Islands — two master mariners and a “human factors expert”, who specialised in the way people interacted with machinery and the environment, including their response to emergency situations.

One of the investigators was Tim Burfoot, a former chief investigator of accidents who had been brought in for his marine expertise.

The trio was holding daily briefings with chief investigator Naveen Kozhuppakalam, Pleasants said.

Maritime NZ investigators inspect the Boston Whaler powerboat involved in the collision. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Two other investigations are under way by the police and Maritime NZ.

Those investigations will determine whether anyone is criminally liable for the sinking of the ferry or injuries to the skipper.

The TAIC investigation, which is expected to take 18 months, aims to establish the cause of the collision and prevent similar incidents happening again.

■ Email info@taic.org.nz if you witnessed the collision or have any photos, videos, CCTV or wreckage and you haven’t yet been in contact with investigators.