No police action on tug capsize

Press, 14 January 1982, Page 4

No police action on tug capsize

PA Auckland The police said last evening that their inquiries into the capsize of the tug Tiki on Tuesday had been completed and that no further action would be. taken by them. A file would be prepared for a coroner's inquest, said Detective Inspector M. G. Charles, and a report would also be made available for the separate inquiries being conducted by the Auckland Harbour Board and . the Marine Division of th§ Ministry of Transport. The Harbour Board’s tug. was pulled under while helping the 1400-tonne freighter Shereen which was about to leave for what was to be her maiden cargo-carrying voy? age. - • • The tugmaster. Gordon Albert Stanaway. aged 50. of Te Atatu, died in the accident.

The master and crew of the Shereen have delayed their departure to help with the investigations. While the police are satisfied that they know exactly what happened during the illfated manoeuvre, the exact cause of the capsize has still not been identified.

Mr Charles said that after the tug had towed the Shereen into the stream, the two vessels began a manoeuvre which involved the ship pulling the tug to enable the tow rope to be let go without becoming entangled, in propellers. As the ship moved forward, just before the tow was to be released, the tug swung at an angle to the ship and was pulled over. • Captain Stanaway, an experienced tugmaster, had completed the procedure many times before. The 16.8-metre tug was refloated yesterday . She suffered little structural damage in the accident, but will have to have a complete mechanical refit. The Shereen was sold in Auckland last month to her mortgagee, the Royal Bank of Canada (London), Ltd, a member of the Orion Bank Group, for an undisclosed sum.

The Shereen had been arrested at Port Taranaki after foreclosure by her mortgagee on September 27 last year and was berthed at the port for 63 days before she sailed for Auckland.