4 days ago
Charges brought against skipper of fishing boat
Fishing vessel Tamahine rocks in the waves at Taiaroa Head, at the tip of Otago Peninsula. It broke up on the rocks, and now its skipper has been charged in relation to its sinking. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery
The skipper of a boat that broke up on the rocks below Dunedin's albatross centre a year ago is facing two charges.
A Maritime New Zealand spokesman said yesterday the government agency had completed its investigation into the June 2024 grounding and sinking of the commercial fishing vessel Tamahine at Taiaroa Heads.
"We have filed two charges under the Maritime Transport Act 1994 (s65 and s71) against one person as a result of the investigation."
The charges — a failure to comply with duties in relation to maritime activity and dangerous activity involving ships or maritime products — could result in hefty fines or even imprisonment.
A Ministry of Justice staff member said the skipper, Teone Taiaroa, would next appear in court on July 3.
Mr Taiaroa and a crew member were airlifted to safety in what was described at the time as a textbook rescue.
He was winched to safety after the 14m Tamahine ran aground and was rocking in the swell below the Royal Albatross Centre on Otago Peninsula about 6.45am on June 4 last year.
The coastguard and nearby fishing vessels were already on the scene when the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter team arrived to winch down two Dunedin Marine Search and Rescue rescue swimmers.
The first rescue swimmer went to Mr Taiaroa, who had remained aboard the boat as it was becoming overwhelmed by waves.
The second rescuer went to the crew member who had become stranded on nearby rocks.
The rescuer established the crew member was safe and returned to the boat to assist.
The two rescuers moved the skipper off the boat before he and one of the rescuers were winched up to safety.
Mr Taiaroa was taken to Dunedin Hospital in a moderate condition, and the crew member was assessed and treated at the scene.
A Givealittle page set up in the days following the incident noted Mr Taiaroa came from a family with a long history on the peninsula and that was "very well respected" in the community.
The boat was launched in 1960, it said.
