Holmbank Loss Through Error Of Judgment

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30366, 15 February 1964, Page 14

Holmbank Loss Through Error Of Judgment

Captain W. R. Home, master of the motor vessel Holmbank, which sank near Peraki Bay on the south coast of Banks Peninsula on September 20 last year has been acquitted of a charge laid under the Shipping and Seamen’s Act. The report of the Court of Inquiry into the loss of the ship was released yesterday, the Press Association reported.

The Court considered that an error of judgment was committted by “a competent mariner who was, at all material times, attentive to his duty and exercising his judgment to the best of his ability in the light of the facts as he understood them.”

The Holmbank was stranded on a rock near Peraki Bay on September 20. The vessel slid off the rock and sank at 6.15 a.m. on September 22. The report said it appeared that the Holmbank during the passage from Timaru must have been affected by a marked indraught towards the Ninety Mile beach. It was also clear from the evidence that right up to the time of striking, Captain Hohn was not conscious that his vessel was being affected by an indraught “The court is satisfied that the primary cause of the casualty was a strong indraught which carried the Holmbank off course.” The report said it did not appear that Captain Home was at fault in not making allowance for an indraught when he laid off his course or in not realising during the passage that his vessel was being affected by one The course steered was prudent Light Not Seen The Akaroa light had not been observed and, the court considered, it was not prudent and in accordance with proper standards of seamanship not to have taken

as to the vessel’s position was arousedThe court was not critical of the lookout kept on board the Holmbank. “The court is left then, with the view that Captain Home erred in failing to change his course to seaward and safety between 7.30 and 8 p.m., instead of deferring that action to 8.30 p.m.,” the report said, “The result of that mistake has been considerable material loss and had the ship not struck and become stranded upon a rock short of the cliffs it might easily hav- led to loss of life.” After careful consideration the court considered that Captain Home’s mistake should properly be regarded as an error of judgment. “The court does not consider that he should be regarded as guilty of such a wrongful act or default as would under the act call for cancellation or suspension of his certificate of competency,” the report said. He was acquitted of the charge The court drew attention to the fact that the casualty would almost certainly have been avoided had the Holmbank been fitted with echosounding equipment or radar equipment “It appears to be a matter worthy of consideration whether either or both forms of equipment should not be made obligatory for coastal vessels such as the Holmbank,” the report said.

soundings after the time when the Akaroa light should have been visible to the vessel. At the same time, the court found that in the circumstances this was difficult. The report said that in the view of the court, Captain Home made a mistake in continuing on his existing course, after having heard a report of fog at the light. “In view of the fine course being steered it is considered that he erred in not altering his course to seaward once he realised that it might shortly be desirable to do so without having identified either the Akaroa light or the land. , ■ “At that point he decided that he could, with safety, follow his existing course until 8.30 p.m. In the view of the court, the correct decision was to alter course immediately.” The court did not consider that too much significance should be attached to the failure to take soundings for the reason that the alternative of changing course seawards would almost certainly have been chosen in preference to the complicated procedure involved in taking soundings once apprehension