Boat in river smash flew Prada flag, says witness

By NAOMI LARKIN

An inflatable boat that collided with a moored yacht in the Tamaki River is understood to be part of the Prada syndicate America's Cup challenge.

The collision, involving the inflatable support boat and the yacht Epris, happened at Half Moon Bay in eastern Auckland about 9.30 pm on Friday.

An witness, who did not wished to be named, said he and his family were enjoying some fish and chips outside their Musick Point Rd home when they saw the inflatable Lancer "motoring" towards the bay.

"I turned to have my fish and chips and next thing I heard a loud bang.

"I turned around and saw the navigation lights wavering here and there and then there was another loud bang."

The witness said the support boat was made of an aluminium or steel "cockpit" with an inflatable rubber tube surrounding it. The bangs were two of the tube's segments bursting.

"I heard one of the people down on the shore yell, 'Can you dial 111? The boat has flipped over.'

"I took off and swam out and I asked if everyone was accounted for."

The man said it was too dark to see if the boat had flipped, but the two men who had been on board yelled back, assuring him they were not in danger.

Both men were helped ashore by nearby boaties. No one was on board the Epris.

The inflatable was sporting the flags of Italy, Prada and Punta Ala, the syndicate's headquarters, said the witness.

A Police Maritime Unit officer who attended the crash would not confirm that the inflatable was a Prada boat.

The officer said the Epris had a large hole close to the waterline and was at risk of sinking. It was patched temporarily and was yesterday ashore at Half Moon Bay.

Police were looking at whether charges would be laid against the inflatable's crew, he said.

Prada yesterday did not return the Herald's phonecalls.