Liner met safety standards

Press, 25 February 1986, Page 26

Liner met safety standards

PA Auckland Government, maritime officials in Auckland said that safety certificates for the sunken Soviet liner Mikhail Lermontov were in order when inspected recently.

Customs staff checked the documents when the liner berthed on February 12.

A senior customs official said that a routine examination revealed

“nothing untoward.”

Staff checked dates stamped on the documents which indicated the certificates were current.

Mr Peter Wenden, of the Ministry of Transport Marine Division, said the ship had what are known as Solas certificates. Solas is the Safety of Life at Sea convention, an international maritime agreement

Mr Wenden said the

vessel would have had Solas documents covering her safety equipment, communications gear, and construction standards.

Conditions of the certificates meant the gear would be checked by registered inspectors each year. Liferafts would be serviced and lifeboats maintained regularly.