Diving school to fight charges after student's death

Commercial Diver Training School instructors Tony Anaru Te Ripo (left) and Timothy John McKenzie [white shirt] plan to fight the charges laid against them. Photo / Christine Cornege

New Zealand's only commercial diving school and its staff plan to fight a series of charges after a student died while carrying out an assessment dive at its Huntly site last year.

Luqmanulhakim Bin Moien, 23, of Jahore in Malaysia, died at Lake Puketirini, the New Zealand School of Commercial Diver Training's (NZSCDT) training facility, on the outskirts of Huntly on April 28, 2014.

NZSCDT, dive instructors Timothy John McKenzie, of Napier, 33, Tony Anaru Te Ripo, 44, of Hamilton and Helena Chloe Jade Weston, 23, of Whakatane and the New Zealand School of Outdoor Studies had charges laid by Worksafe NZ, under the Health and Safety in Employment Act, in December last year.

After the adjournment of several hearings, all parties entered not guilty pleas during an appearance in the Huntly District Court in April.

The accused reappeared today and were further remanded to reappear in the Hamilton District Court in August for a pre-trial callover.

The New Zealand School of Outdoor Studies and Commercial Diver Training are defending charges of failing to take practicable steps to ensure that a drowning that arose during a swim test did not harm any trainee occupational divers who had to paid to undertake the activity and failing to take practicable steps to ensure the safety of Mr Moien.

The outdoor studies school also plans to fight a charge of failing to ensure that it's employee, Ms Weston, was the holder of a current certificate of competence as a diver between January 27, 2014 and March 10, 2014.

Mr Te Ripo denies four charges, including failing to take practicable steps to ensure that no action or inaction by him during the swim test, the dive and during his work harmed Mr Moien,

Mr McKenzie's charges include aiding, abetting or encouraging Mr Te Ripo in regards to the dive, while Ms Weston denied one charge of failing to take practicable steps to ensure that no action or inaction of hers while at work harmed Mr Moien.