Widow charged after 'Easy Rider' tragedy

Charges have been laid against the widow of the skipper of the Easy Rider over its sinking in Foveaux Strait in March.

Maritime New Zealand today revealed it had laid five charges against AZ1 Enterprises Limited, which operated the vessel, and five charges - including some criminal offences - against its director Gloria Davis, the widow of skipper Rewai Karetai.

Easy Rider sank off the coast of Stewart Island in Foveaux Strait on March 15. Eight lives were lost.

The charges have been laid under the Maritime Transport Act 1994, the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 and the Crimes Act 1961.

The charges against the company are:
- It operated Easy Rider knowing that a master holding a skippers certificate was required and that the appropriate certificate was not held
- It caused or permitted the vessel to be operated in a manner which caused unnecessary danger or risk to the persons on board
- It failed to take all practicable steps to ensure that no action or inaction of any employee while at work harmed any other person on board Easy Rider
- It failed to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of its employees while at work on board the Easy Rider
- It failed to take all practicable steps to ensure that no contractor or subcontractor was harmed while doing work on board.

The charges against Davis are:

- She operated Easy Rider knowing that a master holding a skippers certificate was required and that the appropriate certificate was not held
- She caused or permitted the vessel to be operated in a manner which caused unnecessary danger or risk to the persons on board
- As the director of AZ1 Enterprises Ltd, she acquiesced or participated in the failure of the company to ensure that no action or inaction of any employee while at work harmed any other person on board Easy Rider
- As the director, she acquiesced or participated in the failure of the company to ensure the safety of its employees while at work on board the Easy Rider
- As the director, she acquiesced or participated in the failure of the company to ensure that no contractor or subcontractor was harmed while doing work on board.

An inquest in Invercargill confirmed the deaths by drowning of Shane Ronald Topi, 29, Boe Taikawa Gillies, 28, John Henry Karetai, 58, and Peter Glen Pekamu-Bloxham, 53, whose bodies were recovered, and of skipper Rewai Karetai, 47, Paul Jason Fowler-Karetai, 40, David George Fowler, 50, and Odin Nirvana Karetai, 7, whose bodies were never found.

Dallas Reedy, 44, was the sole survivor. He spent 18 hours in the water, clinging to an emptied petrol container, before being rescued.

Davis appeared in Invercargill District Court today and was remanded to appear again later this month.

Meanwhile, the Transport Accident Investigation Commission confirmed its inquiry into the capsize and sinking was in its final stages.

A legally protected draft inquiry report had been provided to people closely connected to the accident so submissions could be made before the commission made its determinations and issued a final report.

The commission's inquiry, which focuses on explaining the accident and recommending changes that might be required to improve transport safety, is separate from the regulatory investigation and subsequent prosecutions by Maritime New Zealand.

 

 

 

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