Capsized boat in drowning tragedy was not seaworthy - Maritime NZ

Teiron Jones with wife Janeth Intuna. Jones drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of Waitara. Intuna survived. Photo / Supplied

A boat belonging to a man who later drowned after the vessel capsized should not have been out on the water, authorities say.

Teiron Jones, 60, drowned after his boat capsized near the Waitara Bar.

He and wife Janeth Intuna, who married just a few weeks ago, had decided to go out for the day last Thursday, about 11am. It is understood the vessel capsized not long after.

Now authorities have revealed the boat had earlier been deemed not to be seaworthy and was due to be repaired.

A Maritime NZ spokesman said a detention notice had been put on the boat in February last year because it was not seaworthy.

"Detention is put in place to stop an owner from using a boat.

"The boat needed to be repaired and declared seaworthy by a boat builder for it to be released from detention. We did not receive any information that a boat builder had repaired the boat and the detention notice is still in place."

Jones and Intuna, who had been together for about 18 months, were spotted about 6am the day after they went out to sea.

They were found in what family later told the Herald was a situation in which Jones had ultimately died saving his wife.

Son Jared Jones said: "The boat was sinking and then it was like a Titanic situation.

"He didn't think she would survive if he was to stay on it as well, so he stayed in the water."

The death has been referred to the coroner.