The navy's newest ship suffered its first fatality yesterday when a sailor from HMNZS Canterbury drowned, and two others were injured, in an accident off the Far North coast. The multi-role ship Canterbury, which was only commissioned by the navy in June, was returning from an exercise in Australia. It wasin Spirits Bay, just to the east of Cape Reinga, when the accident happened yesterday morning. One sailor drowned and two others were injured after a small inflatable boat, containing four sailors, capsized in the water beside the Canterbury. The reason for the capsize is not known. The dead sailor, aged 19 or 20, is believed to have been in the navy for 18 months. The 9000-tonne HMNZS Canterbury was expected back to the Devonport Naval Base early today. The Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral David Ledson, has expressed his personal regret at the tragic consequences of the accident and extended his condolences to the families of the sailors involved. Commodore David Anson said the dead man was a capable sailor. "He was a youngster with a bright future, adjusting admirably to navy life," Mr Anson said. The man's family had been notified and were receiving support from the navy, he said. Mr Anson believed it was the navy's first death at sea since the 1970s. "We're taking it pretty hard. We're proud of our safety record." However, he said "this is not a game of tiddlywinks we are involved in". The boat the sailors were in was a Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boat (RHIB), used to recover people overboard, to transport stores and personnel and for boarding other vessels. RHIBs are capable of being used in extremely rough weather. When the accident occurred the RHIB was being used for "routine drills". The weather conditions at the time were calm. The navy does not believe the accident was caused by personnel or design faults. The navy and police will conduct separate investigations. The two injured sailors are still on board and be treated in Auckland.
