NZDF fined over death

Wellington: The New Zealand Defence Force has been fined more than $288,000 for exposing six divers to risk of death or serious injury during a dive that claimed the life of Zachary Yarwood.

The fine was handed down in the Auckland District Court yesterday, after the fatal dive at the Devonport Naval Base in March last year.

The Navy able communications technician had become unresponsive during a training exercise and later died in hospital. He was 23.

NZDF failed to ensure that divers were effectively supervised during training and did not have the correct number of overseeing staff present, a court has found.

It also failed to ensure that all divers taking part, including instructors, had valid Certificates of Competence for diving, the court heard. — The New Zealand Herald