Boat incident ‘no real risk’
MARITIME NZ says its investigation has found there was no real risk of a Greymouth fishing boat being dashed against the Blaketown tiphead during the Cyclone Fehi storm surge on February 1.
The incident occurred about 9am when the extropical cyclone whipped up a frenzied sea just as two of Greymouth’s largest fishing boats, sister vessels Ocean Odyssey and Moonshadow, tried to cross the bar to enter the Port of Greymouth.
Ocean Odyssey was apparently experiencing an electrical problem.
An onlooker said the waves were suddenly whipped up by the ferocious winds that accompanied the cyclone.
Ocean Odyssey, having come close to the rocks at the river mouth, was next blown around the tiphead to the south side, where it was again driven close to the rocks in front of horrified onlookers, who ran to give assistance.
In the end, both boats abandoned the attempt to cross the bar and steamed back out to sea to sit out the storm.
Maritime NZ said in a statement yesterday the investigation into the incident had been concluded.
‘‘The Compliance Intervention Panel found that the company followed all correct procedures and acted as it should. It was found that there was no real risk of the ship hitting the breakwater at any stage. The file is therefore closed.’’