Lermontov saga ends quietly

Press, 16 July 1987, Page 1

Lermontov saga ends quietly

By

PETER LUKE

political reporter

The Mikhail Lermontov saga ended yesterday with a whimper rather than a bang when the eagerly awaited evidence from the preliminary inquiry into the sinking was released. The 500 pages of evidence were rich in detail, but contained no new revelation about why the Soviet liner sank at Port Gore on February 16 last year. Releasing the evidence, the Minister of Transport, Mr Prebble, said that the issue had ended as far as the Government was concerned. He said he would reject a call by the Opposition spokesman on transport, Mr Winston Peters, for a formal inquiry into the sinking. The report of the preliminary inquiry, published in March last year, had said that no formal inquiry was needed as the facts had been established “beyond any reasonable doubt.” Mr Peters has since pressed for a formal inquiry. He repeated the call yesterday, saying the Government’s handling of the sinking was a disquietening departure from New Zealand maritime law. Mr Prebble said, however, that it was up to the Soviet Union to

decide who should make a full inquiry. It would have been illegal to have forcibly kept the Soviet crew in New Zealand for a formal inquiry. Mr Prebble said that the physical cause of the sinking had been clear since the preliminary.’ inquiry. “The navigator, Captain Jamison, gave an incorrect order, took the ship over a reef, ripped the bottom out of the ship and she sank ** Mr Prebble hinted that the basic question would never be answered — why did Captain Jamison give his sudden order to take the ship into foul water between Cape Jackson and the Cape Jackson lighthouse? “That is a question Captain Jamison himself would love to know.” In his evidence, given on February 24 last year, Captain Jamison said he could not understand his decision. He would not have advised anyone to take that course. His only explanation was physical and mental tiredness brought about by long hours and tensions within the Marlborough Harbour Board. In hindsight he had been in no condition to pilot the liner, he told the inquiry.

He said his long hours of work had been well known to the board. The board’s chairman, Mr Bruno Dalliessi, was reluctant to comment on evidence he had not seen. But he said that Captain Jamison had never complained to the board about his workload. Mr Dalliessi said that Captain Jamison had been acting general manager as well as Harbourmaster before the sinking. It had not been possible to appoint a new general manager, as the position was the subject of litigation, he said. Mr Prebble indicated yesterday that no attempt would be made to censure the board as a result of Captain Jamison’s evidence about his workload. Captain Jamison could not be reached for comment last evening. He is still employed as Harbourmaster by the board, a purely administrative position. Publication of the evidence yesterday was only possible after Captain Jamison had withdrawn legal action against its release. Mr Prebble said the Government had wanted to release it last year, to prevent rumours about the sinking.

Evidence, page 3