Grieving family pledge return to muttonbirding

The Topi family and friends in Bluff yesterday. Picture / Otago Daily Times

A family that lost members from three generations when a trawler capsized in Foveaux Strait say they knew the risks and will continue their traditional trips across the waters.

The Topi family from Bluff have spoken for the first time about the loss of Leslie "Peter" Christian Topi, 78, his daughter Tania Marie Topi, 41, and 9-year-olds Sailor Roy Trow-Topi, and Shain Jack Topi-Tairi.

The family were returning to their hometown on Saturday after their annual muttonbirding hunt on the Titi Islands when the 17m Kotuku capsized.

"Muttonbirding is part of who we are. And we simply can't see ourselves as chicken farmers," said Colin Topi, son of Peter Topi and uncle to Sailor and Shain.

"We are a fishing family and we know the risks. Our generations have been on the sea. Over time we will build ourselves strong again. We will be going back to the Titi Islands - what family we have got left."

The tragedy also claimed the lives of crew Ian James Hayward, 52, and Clinton Allan Woods, 34.

Kotuku skipper John Edminstin, 56, Paul Maurice Topi, 46, and Dylan James Topi, 16, survived by swimming to nearby Women's Island.

Robert Coote, speaking for the family of Mr Woods, said the survivors were coping "as best they can".

"They are recounting what they can remember of the night. They are just trying to come to grips with it as best they can."

The families considered themselves lucky to get some of those on board back alive. "You don't get nine out of nine back from Foveaux Strait," said Ricky Topi, son of Peter Topi.

The families did not want to discuss the circumstances of the accident for fear of pre-empting inquiries now under way.

They expressed their thanks for the huge support shown by people around New Zealand in the wake of the tragedy. "There are simply too many groups and individuals to thank separately but the families would like you all to be sure that your kindness has not gone unnoticed," the families said.

Mr Coote said the families were especially thankful to the police dive team that recovered three bodies from the submerged Kotuku on Monday. The divers were "probably pushing conditions to the extreme", he said.

"We can't thank enough all who participated [in the search] and gave freely their time, their boats and their expertise to ensure we got the result we got - which obviously was not the result we all hoped for. It was closure to an extent."

Maritime New Zealand has put a 500m radius exclusion zone around the wreck of the Kotuku, to preserve it for accident investigators.