Problems of airport rescue boat listed

Press, 25 February 1980, Page 14

Problems of airport rescue boat listed

PA Wellington Wellington Airport’s vital sea crash rescue boat has been unusable for nearly two of the six years airport crash rescue services have owned it. The Commission of Inquiry into airport crash rescue services was told in Wellington of a chapter of problems with the big jet boat. About a year after .it was delivered to Wellington Airpoit in April, 1974, the boat had to have major hull repairs after an accident. It was on land for three months. In 1977, when the boat was less than three weeks old, its engine needed expensive overhauls. The jet drive unit also had to be removed. During this time it was but ot service for more than two months. . : Towards the end of 1977 the boat was again withdrawn from service because of mechanical problems. This time it was unusable for more than a year while the engine was several.-times removed and refitted aned finally replaced.

The craft was last put back into service in November, 1978, and since then has been unusable for .two weeks.

The Ministry of Trans-

port, the owner of the boat, told the inquiry that -the..boat had been but of service for a total 'of 22 months.

The Ministry's submission d-q not give the cost of new parts and work, on the boat nor diG it give an indication of what craft would have been available for a sea crash off Wellington Airport while the rescue boat was unusable. A towing vehicle bought last year to. launch the rescue -craft had also had its share of problems, the Ministry revealed.

In November it was immersed in salt water and the repair work took three days.

The inquiry was told, also by the Minis-try, that Auckland’s rescue hovercraft stationed at Mangere Airport has been ’ out of action for a total of 2j years since. 1974. It was out of service for varying periods •in 1974, 1975, and 1976. In 1977 it was barely usable and was unusable. Tor the whole, of 1978. r ■•••; It was out of use for 79 days last year and brought 1 back into service soon after the Friendship crash at Mangere.

Since, return to service it had, been unusable for . a total period of three weeks.

The New Zealand Coast

Guard Federation has told an inquiry that Wellington Airport’s crash-rescue services were “grossly unsatisfactory.” The federation, representing volunteer marine search and rescue organisations, said rescue equipment at Wellington Airport was inadequate and took too long to activate in the event of a. sea crash close to the airport.

The vice-president of the federation (Mr D. Deacon) was appearing before a commission of inquiry into crash rescue services. The federation was concerned about the length of time the big airport jet rescue boat has not been able to be used. ' - It was reported that the boat has been out of service for a period of almost two years since it was bought in 1974. Mr Deacon said that if the boat was going to be continually plagued with problems, consideration should be given to buying a new boat.

The equipment- supplied by the Ministry of Transport to the airport crashrescue service was not enough to >cope with an air crash in either Evans Bay or Lyall Bay. Besides the rescue boat the- service has two outboard motor-powered rubber dinghies.