Ferry company in court over crash

The incident took place on February 17 when the 27-year-old vessel, Kea, collided with Victoria wharf at Devonport with 61 passengers onboard. Photo / Supplied

A ferry company has appeared in court this morning after a crash that left more than a dozen people wounded.

Fullers Group Ltd, which runs several passenger services around Auckland, has been charged with a health and safety breach that could see it fined up to $250,000.

The matter came briefly before Auckland District Court this morning, which heard that a potential trial could last two weeks.

The incident took place on February 17 when the 27-year-old vessel, Kea, crashed into Victoria Wharf at Devonport. The ferry was carrying 61 passengers.

Ambulances took 17 people, including a crew member, away for treatment for injuries ranging from a head gash to a suspected broken arm. Six went to North Shore Hospital and the rest to a Takapuna accident clinic.

The ferry had a huge gash through its above-hull bulwark and into its outside bow deck.

Court documents showed passengers spoken to at the time blamed the number of injuries on unsecured seating on the ferry.

Fullers allegedly failed to ensure seats were sufficiently stable "that it would not harm passengers if the vessel stopped suddenly, moved significantly or impacted another object".

Charge sheets attribute the accident to the Kea's "digital control system".

One of the particulars of the charge included: "failing to take the vessel out of service until the faults in the control system were fixed".

It is alleged Fullers adopted "risk-mitigation procedures" three months before the crash, which meant manual controls were to be used until the control system was fixed.

The procedures were allegedly not followed.

Fullers was also accused of failing to ensure the vessel's skippers were sufficiently competent in operating the system and the procedures in place to deal with its malfunctioning.

Fullers chief executive Doug Hudson said he could not comment on the case while it was before the court but stressed they had complied with Maritime NZ.

The Kea had been repaired and had been back in service since the end of July.

Fullers will be back before the court in three weeks.