Easy Rider widow remanded for second time

Photo / supplied

The Bluff woman whose company owned the fishing boat Easy Rider, has been remanded again on charges relating to the vessel's sinking in March.

Gloria Davis, sole director of AZ1 Enterprises Ltd and the widow of the boat's skipper, Rewai Karetai, has denied offences laid by Maritime New Zealand.

She was remanded previously and this week was remanded again to appear in the Invercargill District Court in mid-February. She faces five charges personally, and her company has also been charged.

The Easy Rider sank in Foveaux Strait with the loss of eight lives. One man was rescued.

Two of the charges against Davis are under the Maritime Transport Act. They are operating the Easy Rider knowing a current skippers' certificate was not held, and causing the boat to be operated in a manner which caused unnecessary risk or danger to persons on board.

Three charges are under the Health and Safety in Employment Act: that as a director of AZ1 Enterprises, she acquiesced or participated in the failure of that employer to ensure the safety of employees aboard the Easy Rider; that she acquiesced or participated in the failure of that employer to ensure no action or inaction of any employee while at work harmed any other person; and that she acquiesced or participated in the failure of that employer to ensure no contractor or subcontractor was harmed while working on board the Easy Rider.