‘Accident’ aboard Tug Lyttelton

Press, 25 September 1989, Page 8

‘Accident’ aboard Tug Lyttelton

By

PAM MORTON

A simulated accident on the Tug Lyttelton brought several voluntary organisations together for a training exercise at Lyttelton yesterday. Those taking part in the exercise were faced with a scenario in which several people were injured when a boiler exploded on the tug. On hand were the coordinators of the event, the Canterbury Voluntary Coastguard Service, .backed up by the police, the St John Ambulance, the Lyttelton Fire Brigade and the Tug Lyttelton Preservation Society. Children from Westburn School played the role of the injured, along with members of the society.

The president of the service, Mr Tom Atherton, said it was the first time the service had been involved in such an exercise. “It was very professionally done and everybody worked well together.” Mr Atherton said several lessons had been learned from the exercise. The only real casualty of the day was the society’s life raft which was put overboard as part of the exercise, but drifted into the harbour. Mr Atherton said the $2OOO life raft was seen being picked up by three people in a white boat. No questions would be asked if the life raft was returned to the police, he said.