LOOKOUT! MARCH 2009 3 LOOKOUT! Guesteditorial
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MARCH 2009 ISSUE TWELVE Chancing the conditions proves fatal Survive in cold water – tips and techniques 6 7 Chancing the Overcome by cold conditions proves One man dies, one survives after a duck fatal shooting trip goes wrong. No lifejacket and bad weather leads to death. 12 13 Spotter deserts post Three strikes! Stevedore injured when spotter Three days, three ports, three injuries. becomes operator. ContentsMARCH 2009 ISSUE TWELVE 10 8 Survive in cold water 11 Steering cable breaks 14 Winch control smashes into mate 16 Fatalities and accidents in 2008 Fire barely contained Regulars Lucky escape for crew and vessel. 3 Introduction 4 Guest editorial: When euphoria turns to reality 15 18 Safety issues Check your beacon Only 406 MHz will work. LOOKOUT! Introduction Welcome to the March issue of Lookout! – the first for 2009. We’ve had a challenging start to the year, with a larger-than-usual number of fatalities, accidents and near misses in the recreational boating sector. This issue features a guest editorial from Bruce Reid, CEO of Coastguard, who gives us his perspective on the holiday season and the importance of heeding basic safety messages. Among other things Bruce’s editorial reinforces the need to carry effective emergency communication devices and lifejackets. The fatalities discussed in two of the stories in this edition of Lookout! could both have been prevented by the wearing of lifejackets. This doesn’t mean those in the commercial sector can be complacent about safety. The commercial incidents featured in this issue, although not fatal, could have been much worse – and all could have been prevented. Please take the time to read through and take note of the simple things that could have been done to prevent them. There is a feature on survivability in the water in this issue, which outlines how you can increase your chances of surviving long enough to be rescued. Do pass this copy of Lookout! to your colleagues and crew, or contact any one of our offices if you’d like more copies. If you’re interested in more detailed accident reports or safety information, check out our website: www.maritimenz.govt.nz Catherine Taylor Director of Maritime New Zealand LOOKOUT! MARCH 2009 3 LOOKOUT! Guesteditorial When euphoria turns to reality Over the “holiday season” months Coastguard volunteers had a busy time rescuing many leisure boaties from the jaws of impending doom. From the simple task of jump-starting an engine on a sunny afternoon off Mt Maunganui, to a 2-day search in response to a text message simply saying “call coastguard we’re lost”, it is fair to say our resources and ability to respond have been tested. The period 1 November to 31 January There was no VHF radio on board, so a and out of service could have got them saw Coastguard units take part in 162 text was sent and eventually received by all killed. Category 1 or 2 search and rescue a family member. I am sure those involved did not operations involving 2,431 volunteer All the searchers knew was that the leave in the morning with the intention hours, and assisting 335 New Zealanders group was lost and needed help. Where of becoming lost at sea, but the failure to the safety of shore. to start? In this case, the combined to take reasonable precautions set the Many of those who get into efforts of all the rescue agencies failed scene for a potential tragedy. It risked difficulty are well prepared, have good to locate them in the first 24 hours, and the lives of those on the boat and the communications, are knowledgeable, it was another 18 hours before they were volunteers who committed to heading experienced boaties who get caught out located and brought to safety. out to find them. by the elements, or have some type of From the notification of the search This incident, and the tragic start equipment failure. The solution is then by Coastguard Tauranga duty officer to the year, brought a focus on safety in relatively straightforward, even in poor Tom Scott, to his call almost 2 days later the leisure boat sector, and taking these conditions. Our rescue crews know where advising of the successful outcome, incidents in isolation brought out calls the vessel is, keep in contact with them I worried for the safety of our people for legislation. via VHF and, in the majority of cases, involved in the search. Big seas, low The Coastguard stance on this has resolve the issue quickly and efficiently. visibility and a long search all add to the been well reported over the years and In my previous life with the trucking risks posed to our volunteers. remains the same. Coastguard does not industry we spent as much time looking support the introduction of compulsory at “near misses” as we did the accidents licensing of skippers or compulsory themselves. The purpose was to identify FAILURE TO registration of recreational vessels in the “root cause” of the problem, as “TAKE REASONABLE New Zealand. The organisation’s position opposed to looking at the incidents in PRECAUTIONS SET has been reinforced by the findings of the isolation. The same needs to be done “Boating Safety Strategy” publication, with the non-fatal recreational boating THE SCENE FOR A prepared following a comprehensive incidents that are occurring, so as a POTENTIAL TRAGEDY. review on boating safety by the New sector we can identify and manage the IT RISKED THE LIVES OF Zealand Pleasure Boat Safety Forum. risk areas. Our preference is clearly education There is an increasing reliance on THOSE ON THE BOAT AND over legislation, as demonstrated by the cellphones for communication on the THE VOLUNTEERS WHO efforts of Coastguard Boating Education water. In our everyday lives, cellphones COMMITTED TO HEADING Services (CBES), centres of excellence, are now part and parcel of how we live OUT TO FIND THEM. such as the Coastguard Northern Region and communicate. However, cellphones Maritime School, and the trained tutor are a very poor third cousin in most of the ” network delivering boating education boating areas around New Zealand. I felt a sense of euphoria at the courses across the country. Over 15,000 The coverage at sea is not reliable, successful outcome, and it was only New Zealanders attend CBES courses and too many are heading out with the later, on reflection, that it sunk in how each year, considerably boosting the false sense of security that, if we get into incredibly unwise the actions of these number of knowledgeable boaties. trouble, we will be able to call someone. people had been. No flares, no VHF, no Coastguard has also completed Great if you are broken down on State emergency locator beacon, no check of investment in the Nowcasting network Highway 1, but completely ineffective off the weather report – all the ingredients across the country, which provides the coast at Maketu, as a family party for a high-risk excursion. Random text free information on weather and sea of five found out just prior to New Year. messages from a cellphone coming in conditions. This service has up-to-date 4 LOOKOUT! MARCH 2009 COASTGUARD WAIHI BATTLING ROUGH CONDITIONS. information broadcast over VHF (provided In the 14 months I have been in with government, and grants provided by Coastguard auto weather stations and charge of Coastguard, I have seen a through trusts. All of this helps fulfil our MetService feeds), which allows boaties significant change across the sector community promise of saving lives at sea. to make informed decisions on the water, with a greater co-ordination between and before taking to the water. government and non-government organisations. This will only improve the way we communicate safety messages, MANY OF THOSE and our collective ability to respond more “WHO GET INTO effectively when required. DIFFICULTY ARE WELL Coastguard is committed to encouraging people onto the water PREPARED, HAVE GOOD to enjoy the wonderful recreational COMMUNICATIONS, environment it provides. We will continue to encourage New Zealanders to take ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE, Bruce Reid personal responsibility for themselves EXPERIENCED BOATIES CEO of Coastguard New Zealand and other boaties. WHO GET CAUGHT OUT In 2007/08 Coastguard volunteers BY THE ELEMENTS, OR gave over 300,000 hours and assisted HAVE SOME TYPE OF over 5,000 New Zealanders, with radio EQUIPMENT FAILURE. operators receiving 294,000 radio calls. Coastguard volunteers collectively ” generated $9.5 million to cover the cost Continuing to target good positive of delivering New Zealand’s primary safety messages and investment in the on-water search and rescue response. intellectual capital of New Zealand leisure We are thankful for the dedication boaties has proven more effective than of our volunteers, the support of our legislating in the past, and will continue to commercial partners, the funds provided do so in the future. through the service level agreement LOOKOUT! MARCH 2009 5 Chancing the conditions proves fatal A man drowned after deciding to chance rough sea conditions in a friend’s 15-foot aluminium runabout. The man and two other companions The pair set off, managing to managed to reach one of the lifejackets, had met up at the same caravan park by negotiate the first three or four waves. and also cut free a plastic petrol tank. He the sea on a regular basis for 25 years. All When the vessel was about 200 metres emptied the tank into the sea, and shared three knew the bay well and made good from shore, the pair saw a large wave it with the helmsman as flotation. use of the runabout for setting fishing building up ahead.