Ferry and pleasure boat collide on Hauraki Gulf

A Coastguard crew brings the damaged fishing boat Doctor Hook to shore. Picture / Fotopress

Five people were injured in a collision between their small fishing boat and a Fullers ferry on the Hauraki Gulf this morning. 

The 6.5m pleasure craft Doctor Hook and the Quickcat ferry collided in the Motuihe Channel, which separates Motutapu and Motuihe islands, around 10.35am.

The injured, who were all aboard the pleasure craft, were transferred to the ferry whose crew appealed to passengers for warm clothing for the injured - believed to include an elderly woman with a cut head. A doctor aboard the ferry treated the injured

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter flew two injured people in their 70s to hospital.

Three other people with minor injuries were taken ashore from the ferry by the Police launch Deodar 2 for medical treatment.

Coastguard rescue vessels were attempting to salvage the fishing boat, which had a hole in its hull.

The ferry continued its trip to Waiheke Island. A Fuller's spokesman refused to comment on the incident.

A passenger on the ferry, Tiina Sirkku, said there was no indication the ferry saw the boat before the collision as it did not slow down or sound its horn.

Miss Sirkku was inside a cabin with her five-and-a-half month-old baby, her partner and his cousin when they felt the impact and heard a loud bang.
The doors to outside were shut and they could not get out of the cabin, she said.

Miss Sirkku said she looked through a window and saw one of the people on the damaged boat holding his arm by the elbow and with blood running down his shoulder.

The ferry continued the journey to Waiheke Island after about 25 minutes.

Miss Sirkku said she could not see any damage to the ferry when they disembarked.

Coastguard duty officer Stephanie Traill said the pleasure craft had eight people aboard.

- HERALD STAFF, NZPA