Driver distraction blamed for jet boat crash

Driver distraction was to blame for a serious jet boat crash in which several tourists were injured, including a man who suffered burns after being doused in petrol, the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has found.

The Dart River Jet Safari boat crashed into a gravel bank and overturned on the Dart River in the Queenstown Lakes District, near Glenorchy, with 18 passengers aboard on February 20, 2008.

The boat was heading downstream towards Lake Wakatipu when the driver pointed out a flock of geese to an interested passenger.

After looking ahead again, the driver realised the boat was too close to the bank and adjusted the helm and throttle.

However, the corrections came too late and the boat grounded, sliding along the bank for a short time before coming to rest on its canopy.

The passengers kicked out the windows to escape.

One passenger suffered burns after he was soaked in petrol that was running out of a fuel tank vent. The driver helped him to remove his shirt and wash in the river.

A woman suffered a broken collarbone, while two other passengers suffered bruising.

Two rescue boats were dispatched with medical supplies and blankets to ferry the passengers to a waiting paramedic.

The four injured tourists were taken to Queenstown hospital for treatment. Several others were treated for mild hypothermia.

TAIC chief commissioner John Marshall QC said the driver and company co-ordinated the situation well after the accident.

However, he identified safety issues, including the potential difficulty of removing the canopy if the boat was overturned or in deep water, poorly marked emergency exit windows and a fuel vent design that allowed petrol to leak from the upturned boat.

TAIC recommended Maritime New Zealand encourage proper recognition of driver distraction as an issue for commercial jet boat operations.

It also made recommendations on the marking of emergency exits and the design and placement of fuel vents.

- NZPA