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The Interisland ferry Aratere came close to sinking with the potential loss of many lives after its skipper showed poor judgment during a stormy Cook Strait crossing in March, according to a draft Maritime New Zealand report.
The Aratere, which was carrying 391 passengers, heeled over 50 degrees on two separate occasions in heavy seas and rolled up to 30 degrees for three minutes after it stalled when the skipper tried to change course, the report, leaked to The Dominion Post, said.
It said that had the ferry not righted itself, "most persons on board would have been trapped inside the vessel and previous examples of roll-on, roll-off vessel casualties indicate a heavy loss of life would have resulted".
The report to be officially released next month, comes out with a raft of safety recommendations, including the introduction of rough weather sailing guidelines and stricter controls on cargo lashings on ferries.
The report criticises the ferry's master for steering the ship into rough conditions close to the North Island and for leaving the vessel in autopilot after it rolled the first time.
The report does not name the Aratere's skipper but the newspaper named him as Captain Wayne Osmond who challenged Maritime NZ's suspension of his master's ticket after the crossing. He later withdrew his case.
Four passengers and one crew member were injured, and 45 vehicles and seven railway wagons were damaged during the crossing.
- NZPA
