Hauraki Gulf ferry travellers thanked for keeping cool

By PHILIP ENGLISH

The passengers aboard a burning Hauraki Gulf ferry on Sunday evening deserve a pat on the back for the way they behaved, believes the general manager of ferry company Fullers Group, Michael Fitchett.

"If they had not cooperated or if they had panicked it could have been a different scene. The fact that everybody was so calm and collected speaks a lot for them," he said yesterday.

The Fullers vessel Superflyte had 311 passengers and six crew aboard when it caught fire on a trip from Waiheke Island to Auckland.

When the ferry's steering failed as a result of the fire it anchored between Browns Island and Rangitoto, where the passengers transferred in calm conditions to three other vessels which had been accompanying the Superflyte.

Mr Fitchett said passengers were being contacted to see if they needed any help.

"All the luggage that we know of has been couriered back to each of the passengers or they have come in and picked it up. We just want to find out whether they have got any problems as a result of the inconvenience.

"We are doing the best we can. I think we are doing all we can to look after the people who were involved."

Mr Fitchett had heard a few negative comments but people were entitled to such views. "That happens in every situation."

Fullers staff put out the fire on the Superflyte before the coastguard, firefighters and police arrived, he said.

Mr Fitchett said he would not know the cause of the fire until the outcome of the Maritime Safety Authority investigation. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission is also looking into the fire.

The Superflyte might not return to service for at least a month, said Mr Fitchett, but he was not sure how long it would take.

The Maritime Safety Authority general manager of maritime operations, John Mansell, said the accident report would be completed as soon as possible and would be made public.

"We very much commend the master, the crew and all the passengers because they were the main players in this ... not forgetting of course the coastguard, the police, the Fire Service and everyone else involved."

The deputy harbourmaster, Jim Dilley, said the incident provided a good display of teamwork between harbour agencies and the safety drills required of Fullers.

He said the Auckland harbourmaster, John Lee-Richards, was in Australia, but he had been informed of the incident.