Power boat driver cleared of fatality

Press, 29 August 1986, Page 3

Power boat driver cleared of fatality

PA Wellington A Christchurch man died in Wellington’s Oriental Bay earlier this year after the power boat he was in collision with another boat during the New Zealand water skiracing championships. The Coroner, Mr Alex Protheroe, found that David Warwick Daglish, aged 26, a financial consultant, died from chest injuries on March 29 suffered after the power boat he was travelling in as an observer was accidentally struck by another boat. “By their nature, highspeed racers such as racing cars, motor-cycles, or power boats will always carry some risk no matter how carefully officials draw up the rules for the protection of competitors,” the Coroner said. In a written statement, John Wayne Dick, of

Christchurch, said he was driving a power boat called the Carlsberg in the championships. David Daglish was his observer. During the open class race they took over the lead and came up behind a boat called Powerboat. After trying to overtake it for some time they eventually passed it on the outside. Suddenly the Carlsberg, while travelling at about 112km/h, did a 90deg. left-hand turn and the next thing there was a “bang.” Mr Dick said he then saw Powerboat with its nose sticking out of the water. Mitcheil Stephen Plaw, of Hamilton, said he was the driver of Powerboat. The Carlsberg had lapped him and was leading the race. For some reason the Carlsberg broached and turned left, Mr Plaw said

in a statement. There was no time to react and Powerboat collided with the back of it. After swimming free of his boat, Mr Plaw said he saw David Daglish lying face up in the water. He was unconscious. Sergeant R. A. Hocken, of the Wellington police, said David Daglish died instantly of severe chest injuries. The police made extensive inquiries into the accident. “The police feel the most likely reason the two boats collided was that the Carlsberg was hit by a gust of wind which caused it to rear slightly to the left and land in the water bow first. This, in turn, caused the boat to swerve violently to the left out of control and into the path of Powerboat,” he said. The police did not intend to charge any person in relation to the accident.