The Ovation of the Seas, above, was due to dock in the Bay of Islands yesterday, but turned around after the Government banned cruise ship visits to the country.
A cruise ship due in the Bay of Islands yesterday had to turn around and head back to Sydney after the Government imposed a ban on cruise ships visiting the country. The Ovation of the Seas was due to be in the Bay yesterday, but the Government announced on Saturday
that cruise ships will not be allowed to come to New Zealand until June 30, due to Covid-19 coronavirus.
House fire contained
Calls to a house on fire in Kaikohe yesterday thankfully proved to be only a small fire in a kitchen. Fire and Emergency NZ was called out to a fire with the whole house in flames in Heke St, about 7.45am yesterday. However, FENZ said, the fire was contained to the kitchen and was quickly put out.
Sand Safaris trial to begin
The driver of a Sand Safaris tour bus that 68-year-old South Korean man Jin Chang Oh crashed into as he sandboarded down a dune at Te Paki on February 4 last year goes on trial in the Kaitaia District Court tomorrow. Clarke Robson has denied a charge of carelessly operating a vehicle causing death. The trial is expected to take half the day. Oh died instantly when he struck the bus at the bottom of the dune, police saying at the time that he had then been run over. Sand Safaris, based in Kaitaia, has also been charged, by WorkSafe New Zealand, with failing to ensure that the health and safety of other persons was not put at risk. The company last week entered a not guilty plea and was remanded to a date in May for a case review.
