KEY POINTS:
Early findings into the cause of one of New Zealand's worst disasters at sea have upset some among the victims' families.
Six people, including members of three generations of Bluff's Topi family, died when the vessel Kotuku was struck by two large waves and capsized in Foveaux Strait
in May last year.
Three others on board, including skipper John Edminstin, managed to swim about 500m to safety on nearby Women's Island.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has produced a preliminary report into the accident, and supplied it only to "interested parties", such as the families of the victims, to respond to.
Genna Hayward, whose father Ian "Shorty" Hayward died in the sinking, said she had been instructed the TAIC findings had to remain confidential, but "there's a fair few things we are not happy about".
The finding of the cause of the tragedy was one of those things.
"We know what happened and stuff. And it's just been dragged on and on for them to tell us something we already know," she said.
Mr Edminstin did not want to comment on the report when contacted by the Herald yesterday.
The Kotuku had been returning from the Muttonbird (Titi) Islands, near Stewart Island, after picking up members of the Topi family and their annual muttonbird catch.
There was speculation after the tragedy that the vessel may have been overloaded.
TAIC investigator-in-charge Doug Monk said commissioners would meet in person next week any of the interested parties who wished to comment on what was in the preliminary report. He would not reveal any of its content.
Investigating such a major tragedy had not been easy.
TAIC would take into account what interested parties had to say on, or add to, the preliminary report, and a final report would be made public in late November or early December.
"It's a case of finding out why it sank, and why the people lost their lives, and making recommendations to stop it happening again," Mr Monk said.
Maritime New Zealand is also preparing a report on the sinking but a spokesman said it was still at least a month away.
Southland coroner Trevor Savage said he would await the result of the Maritime New Zealand investigation before deciding if an inquest should be held.
THE SINKING OF THE KOTUKU
* The 17-metre fishing vessel Kotuku travelled from Bluff to the Titi Islands, near Stewart Island, on May 13 last year and picked up six members of the Topi family who had been gathering muttonbird.
* On their return trip, the Kotuku capsized about 2.30pm in heavy seas.
* Six passengers drowned, while the remaining three on board swam to a nearby island and lit fires to attract rescuers. The alarm was raised about 6.20pm.
* Those who died were Leslie Christian Topi, known as Peter, 78, his daughter Tania Marie Topi, 41, and his two 9-year-old grandsons, Shain Jack Topi-Tairi and Sailor Roy Trow-Topi, and Ian Hayward, 52, and Clinton Allan Woods, 34.
