Fog, Tide Cause Of Ship’s Grounding

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30835, 21 August 1965, Page 3

Fog, Tide Cause Of Ship’s Grounding

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, August 20. A tidal stream running opposite that shown on the chart, and a thick fog in Cook Strait were the main causes of the grounding of the Komata in the strait on March 22, according to Court of Inquiry findings released today.

A contributory factor, however, was the failure of the master to take soundings by lead lines, the Court said. Although the Court said he was in error for not doing so, it did not feel it was a case for censure, but considered the master should contribute towards the cost of the investigation. The Court criticised the four-month delay between the mishap and the investigation. It said the events were no longer fresh in the memory of witnesses.

The grounding, the Court found, was because the Komata was some four miles north-west of the master’s estimated position by dead reckoning at the time.

The error in the vessel’s position was because of heavy fog; because the last visual bearing obtainable was at 7.5 am. on the day of the grounding: because the echo sounder was inoperative; and because the radio direc-tion-finding bearings taken through the day were found to be unsatisfactory. Tides in the area were notoriously unpredictable, said the Court, and the master should have begun to take soundings when, after having steamed on a southerly course, he turned to a northerly course in the direction of land.