Crew raise fears as ship deaths probed

The bulk carrier TPC Wellington berthed at Marsden Pt in Northland last night. Photo / Greg Bowker

Transport accident investigators are mystified by the suffocation deaths of two crewmen on a foreign-flagged log ship at Marsden Pt, although unionists are looking into alleged health and safety concerns.

The police have brought the bodies of the bulk carrier TPC Wellington's Korean first officer and a Burmese seaman to Auckland for a post-mortem examination as six investigations continue aboard the Panamanian-registered ship before it is due to sail to Korea and China early tomorrow.

As its crew of about 20 were joined by a Buddhist priest yesterday in mourning the deaths in one of the ship's holds, the Transport Accident Investigation Commission began an inquiry and an International Transport Workers Federation inspector arrived to examine what unionists said were health and safety concerns raised by seafarers on board.

The deaths are also being investigated by the police, the Maritime Safety Authority, the Labour Department and the ship's Korean owners, Trans Pacific Carriers.

Maritime Union secretary Joe Fleetwood was unable to give details of crew concerns, but said they had reached the union through "a very good source" and were being taken seriously by the ITF inspector.

Trans Pacific Carriers is not commenting on the allegations but its Auckland-based operations manager, Sean Kim, said the shipping line had lost a "very talented chief officer" and was at a loss to know how the men could have died.

Mr Kim said the first officer went to check the cargo of logs were ready for fumigation. He believed the fumigant phosphine had not yet been loaded.

Police believe the seaman followed the first officer after he got into respiratory difficulties. The ship's engineer went to help both of them but also got into difficulties.

Two crewmen with breathing apparatus helped the trio. The engineer is back on the ship after being treated at Whangarei Hospital.