Collision at sea

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

The skipper of a commercial fishing vessel has been fined $4500 for inattention at sea, causing a collision between his boat and a recreational craft.

Antony Andrew Hodgson, 46, was sentenced by Judge Allan Roberts in Gisborne District Court.

The court was told this was not Hodgson’s first conviction under the Maritime Transport Act. He also had other relevant criminal convictions, including one for reckless use of a motor vehicle.

Hodgson pleaded guilty to a charge of operating a ship in a dangerous manner, irrespective of whether injury or damage occurred, specifically by failing to maintain a proper lookout, operating a vessel at faster than 5 knots within 50 metres of another vessel, and failing to determine if there was any risk of collision.

The charge arose out of an incident on January 30 last year.

Hodgson and one crew member, deckhand Andrew Bayliss, set sail early that morning in the Lord Nelson, a 19.7-metre commercial fishing vessel operated by Aramoana Seafoods Ltd.

At about 6am, recreational fisherman Tokanui Ihaka and his friend Michael Ayton launched the Ika 40, a five-metre vessel, from the Tatapouri boat ramp.

Conditions were calm and visibility was good.

The Ika 40 travelled about six nautical miles to a fishing spot called Kells Rock, where Mr Ihaka and Mr Ayton dropped anchor at 6.20am and were preparing their fishing gear.

They had noticed the Lord Nelson about 1000 metres away but it now seemed to be headed straight for them and showing no signs of slowing or turning.

It was travelling at six to seven knots.

Mr Ihaka and Mr Ayton began yelling and screaming but were unsuccessful in attracting the attention of anyone on board the Lord Nelson.

Within 10 minutes of the Ika 40 arriving at Kell’s Rock, the Lord Nelson collided with it. The larger vessel’s three-metre stabiliser arm struck the smaller boat on its port bow.

The impact knocked the Ika 40 on to its starboard side and caused its anchor rope to become entangled in the Lord Nelson’s stabiliser arm.

That pulled the Ika 40 back upright but it then became pinned against the hull of the Lord Nelson, which dragged it through the water for nearly 100 metres before both boats came to a stop.

Hodgson had been in the wheelhouse at the time of the collision but was completing paperwork and had his back turned.

The Lord Nelson was on auto pilot and Hodgson was only keeping a periodic watch on the sea.

He did not see the other boat until after the collision.

Mr Bayliss was cleaning in the galley area and knew of the collision only after hearing yelling, screaming and a bang.

A repeatedly apologetic Hodgson and Mr Bayliss checked whether the crew of the Ika 40 were all right and whether the boat could make it back to shore.

Mr Ihaka’s anchor was lost after he had to cut it free from the Lord Nelson’s stabiliser arm.

Mr Ayton suffered some minor injuries. There was minor damage to the Ika 40.

There was no damage to the Lord Nelson.