Damage to undersea cable a nick in fortune

By WAYNE THOMPSON

American superyacht owner Larry Ellison will have to pay about $160,000 to restore the electricity supply to a Hauraki Gulf island.

The crew of his 75m Katana, berthed in Auckland, has acknowledged that the vessel's anchor snagged the undersea power cable from the mainland to Motutapu Island on January 5.

Conservation Department Auckland spokesman Warwick Murray said investigations just completed showed that the Katana's big anchor uprooted the cable from its trench.

The cost of repairs - estimated at $140,000 to $160,000 - would be discussed with the Katana's skipper, Andre Preens.

Mr Murray said the skipper had been helpful and cooperative despite his surprise over the incident with the cable.

It happened at the end of a Christmas cruise in the Bay of Islands and Hauraki Gulf for Mr Ellison, who heads Oracle Corporation and is ranked by Forbes Magazine as the fourth-richest American.

His wealth is estimated at $119.4 billion.

Mr Murray said replacement cable was unavailable in Auckland and it could take three months to restore service to 10 dwellings on the island, including the Motutapu Education Camp and the department's farm workshop.

While in Auckland, Mr Ellison checked progress on the Oracle Racing America's Cup syndicate.

Three days after the cable incident, one of the Oracle training boats snapped its mast.

nzherald.co.nz/marine