Tuhoe crew warned before stranding - Coastguard

The Tuhoe filmed shortly before the stranding (White Bus Family Productions)
The Tuhoe filmed shortly before the stranding (White Bus Family Productions)

Coastguard claim they warned the crew of the historic ‘Tuhoe’ boat to abandon its attempts to cross a dangerous bar before it ran into the beach and broke its back.

The 96-year-old vessel was damaged beyond repair in the September 2015 stranding at the Waimakariri River Mouth in Canterbury.

There has been longstanding confusion over who was to blame for the accident with the skipper, Graeme Monk, blaming a “freak wave” and locals blaming poor sailing.

The Coastguard, who deployed guiding boat ‘Kaiapoi 1’ to direct the Tuhoe through the notoriously hazardous bar, also copped criticism with claims they gave poor directions.

Coastguard chief executive Patrick Holmes has strongly refuted those allegations in a written interview given to Newshub, saying the crew were warned not to make the crossing.

“It was stated on at least two occasions by VHF radio communication from the Kaiapoi 1 Coastguard crew to the Tuhoe, that the crossing should not proceed given the heavy conditions on the bar,” he said.

The Tuhoe crew “acknowledged receipt of those messages” and two Coastguard volunteers aboard the historic ship heard them come across the radio.

Mr Holmes also says Coastguard emailed the boat’s owner, the MV Tuhoe Rivertown Trust, several days in advance warning them not to make the crossing due to the weather.

Skipper Graeme Monk, who has previously claimed a freak wave knocked the boat off course, insisted he heard nothing on the radio.

‘[They said], ‘you’re right on line’. Everything’s in line, you’re doing everything well’, he said.

“In the area where we were, we couldn’t be making mistakes, you don’t just go cruising up the beach where you want to go, you’re following the Coastguard.”

Mr Monk said he saw the wave hit the bow on the right side, causing the helm to spin violently. He also blamed the Coastguard for giving what he saw as poor dirctions and said they had failed to “sound the bar” adequately in the lead-up to the accident.

“It had not been sounded since the Tuesday and we crossed on the Sunday,” he said.

Mr Holmes said Coastguard, who were also on board the vessel, did not have “any evidence to suggest that a freak wave was responsible for the Tuhoe hitting the sand bar”.

He refused to “speculate” on what or who caused the grounding, instead stating: “Under the Maritime Transport Act 1994 the Master is responsible for the safe operation of the ship, the safety and wellbeing of all passengers and crew, and has final authority to control the ship and maintain the discipline of all people on board.”

Watchdog Maritime New Zealand has refused to investigate but says it appears human error was to blame for the stranding.

Newshub.