Restricted limit passenger vessel "Black Cat", control cable failure and collision with rock wall Seal Bay, Akaroa Harbour, 17 April 2005
Status
Closed
Occurrence Date
Report Publication Date
Jurisdiction
NZ
Legacy Inquiry Number
05-205
On Saturday 17 April 2005 at about 1205, the Black Cat with a Master, a deckhand and 31 passengers on board was on a cruise around the lower reaches of Akaroa Harbour. As they approached the shore in Seal Bay, the Master put both engines astern, but a control failure caused the starboard engine to go ahead and the boat to collide with the natural rock wall. The impact was such that the bow bounced off, which allowed the boat to continue back into clear water.
Some of the passengers were shaken by the impact; those who were standing were thrown forward and those on the foredeck were knocked to the deck. Seven passengers suffered minor injuries, and there was little damage to the boat, which was able to return safely to Akaroa on one engine without assistance.
The safety issue identified was:
• the unintentional weakening of control cables by the attachment of additional weight to them.
Safety recommendations were made to the Managing Director of TeleflexMorse Australia and to the Commission to address this issue
Some of the passengers were shaken by the impact; those who were standing were thrown forward and those on the foredeck were knocked to the deck. Seven passengers suffered minor injuries, and there was little damage to the boat, which was able to return safely to Akaroa on one engine without assistance.
The safety issue identified was:
• the unintentional weakening of control cables by the attachment of additional weight to them.
Safety recommendations were made to the Managing Director of TeleflexMorse Australia and to the Commission to address this issue
Location
Akaroa (-43.880511,172.937250) [may be approximate]