A recreational boatie has been convicted of manslaughter after it was found he failed to follow several safety procedures that then resulted in a death.
Waitara man Teiron Jones was today sentenced in the New Plymouth District Court and will have to pay $5,000 reparation to the family of Erka Xu, who drowned following an incident two years ago.
The pair had been out on a fishing trip in 2015 when they got into trouble while attempting to cross the Waitara Bar.
As they approached the mouth of the Waitara River, the boat flipped - throwing both men into the water.
Maritime New Zealand said in a statement this afternoon that neither of the men had been wearing a life jacket and there had been no life jackets on board the boat.
