A photography society that lost five members in a birdwatching boating tragedy in Kaikōura has spoken of its sadness at the “tragic loss”.
“The Nature Photography Society of New Zealand is saddened by the tragic loss at sea in Kaikōura during a trip by society members that took the lives of 5 of our members,” a statement posted on Sunday morning said.
“Our thoughts are with the families of those members of the society who have lost their lives.”
Investigators will start piecing together how a group of birdwatchers ended up perishing in what’s been called a freak accident where a whale is believed to have upended a small fishing charter boat.
The people onboard were a women’s group of society members, who had planned a three-hour bird-watching trip with Fish Kaikōura, a local business whose skipper had more than a decade’s experience.
The boat called mayday at 10am near Goose Bay, south of Kaikōura, sparking an hours-long search and rescue operation for survivors. Eleven were onboard the 8m boat, including the skipper, and six were rescued with some nursing injuries.
Five perished, their bodies are understood to have been recovered from inside the cabin.
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Investigators from Maritime New Zealand travelled on Saturday from Christchurch to Kaikōura to begin their inquiry into the disaster, following the recovery of the bodies, and the boat, early yesterday evening.
Maritime NZ principal investigator Tracy Phillips said Maritime NZ would begin a “thorough” investigation under the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Maritime Transport Act, and would also support police in their investigation.
Police yesterday were tight-lipped into whether a whale caused the capsize, only describing the incident as a “collision”. It’s understood original distress calls from the vessel had mentioned a whale. Large whales had been seen in the area in recent times, according to the mayor.
Kaikōura has a thriving whale watching tourism industry.
CHRIS SKELTON
Five people died and six were rescued after a boat they were on capsized on Saturday September 10 2022, at Goose Bay, near to Kaikōura in North Canterbury.
Following the capsize horrified witnesses saw people on top of the boat, waving their arms; while a substantial search and rescue operation that would last hours got under way. Witnesses watched as a rescue helicopter, Coastguard volunteers, and divers were called in throughout the afternoon.
Pilot Daniel Stevenson was one of the first on the scene and said the Coastguard arrived very quickly.
“We basically went down to have a look and make sure, if there was anybody floating in the water, that we could keep an eye on them until they were able to get a boat alongside and be rescued.”
At a press conference, Kaikōura police Sergeant Matt Boyce described the incident as “unprecedented”, leading to a “significant response of emergency services and members of the public, and Kaikōura maritime community.”
“This has been a tragic event and the police are providing support to those involved at this very difficult time.”
Kaikōura mayor Craig Mackle appeared visibly distressed, when he described the sea conditions as “really, really” good. Earlier in the day he had described a town on tenterhooks as the recovery mission was under way.
“It’s not great. You’ve got this sick feeling.”
The bodies were recovered and brought back to shore shortly before sunset, at South Bay, a few kilometres south of Kaikōura. By 4pm the boat, previously seen upside down in the water, was being towed to shore, while people gathered on the shore to watch. It appeared to be undamaged.
An onlooker said it seemed “like a freak accident”.
“Everyone’s very shocked.”
A local fisherman said conditions Saturday morning were good and the sea was very calm.
Surviving members of the bird watching group last night declined to comment, as did the owner and operators of Fish Kaikōura.
It’s the second significant fatal boating disaster of 2022. In March, five men died when fishing charter boat Enchanter capsized near North Cape after being struck by what was described then as a freak wave.
Additional reporting: Amy Ridout, Sam Sherwood, Blair Ensor.