Woman dies three weeks after harbour collision

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

An elderly Gisborne woman injured on Auckland's Hauraki Gulf when a passenger ferry and a charter fishing boat collided this month has died.

Moira Newman, who is believed to have been in her seventies, was on the charter boat Doctor Hook when it collided with the Fullers Quickcat ferry on January 4.

She died in hospital in Auckland yesterday but no other details were available.

Mrs Newman and her husband Rex farmed at Patutahi, 16km northwest of Gisborne. They had three children.

It is understood had been given the fishing trip by family members.

The accident is being investigated by police, the Maritime Safety Authority, and the Transport Accident Investigation Commission.

Police said the death of Mrs Newman would now take the inquiry to a new level but would not comment on criminal charges.

Police would take the matter to the Auckland coroner when the investigation was completed, police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said.

Mrs Newman was with family members aboard Doctor Hook when it collided with the Waiheke-bound ferry around 10.30am.

All seven people aboard Doctor Hook - three children, their parents and grandparents - were injured.

The Doctor Hook skipper, Bruce Newbury, who was also hurt in the accident, said at the time he was moving "very slowly" when the two vessels collided.

The MSA and TAIC said their inquiries related to safety issues and they had no power to lay criminal charges over the woman's death.

Both said inquiries were still in the early stages, and neither could comment on an initial finding on the cause of the collision.

TAIC investigator Captain Iain Hill said there were still numerous inquiries to make.

"We are a safety organisation and we investigate for safety without ascribing blame.

"We are doing a full and thorough investigation which will take some time."

The impact ripped open the aluminium hull of Doctor Hook and left some of its passengers nursing bloody wounds on the deck and in the cabin.

Police launch Deodar arrived within seven or eight minutes.

The injured children and their mother were initially taken aboard the ferry and treated by two doctors and a nurse who were among the ferry passengers.

All seven family members were taken aboard Deodar and a coastguard vessel then rushed back to Deodar's base in Mechanics Bay on Auckland's waterfront.

They were taken by ambulances to Auckland Hospital.

Ferry passenger Tiina Sirkku said at the time there was no indication the ferry saw the boat before the collision as it did not slow down or sound a horn.

"It was basically just a big bang and 'oh my God, what's happened?'," she said.

Crew asked passengers to stay calm and closed the doors to the decks so people could not leave the cabin.

After inspection, the ferry continued to Waiheke.

- NZPA