Kiwirail charged over ferry's power loss

Maritime NZ has filed a charge against KiwiRail after the Interislander ferry Kaitaki lost power in January 2023 with almost 900 people on-board.

At the time the ferry lost power on its approach to Wellington, there were close to 900 people on-board including more than 800 passengers and 80 crew.

It then issued a mayday. After regaining limited power, the ferry made its way to port where its passengers were able to safely leave it and come ashore.

Maritime NZ, the maritime and designated health and safety regulator for such incidents, subsequently investigated the loss of power incident.

This week one charge was filed under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 in relation to the January 28 incident by Maritime NZ, against the operator, KiwiRail.

"The investigation took 12 months; it involved reviewing the operator’s organisational information relevant to processes and procedures connected to safety and maintenance management, undertaking interviews and examining the Kaitaki after the incident occurred," Maritime NZ director, Kirstie Hewlett says.

"Material was then comprehensively reviewed before the decision was made to prosecute," she says.

The matter is now before the courts.