Salvage experts to refloat ferry

The Fullers ferry on the rocks at Cape Brett. Picture / Westpac Rescue Helicopter

Marine salvage experts will be brought in this week to start refloating and recovering the crippled Fullers catamaran that went aground on rocks at Cape Brett with 59 passengers.

No one was injured in the grounding and subsequent rescue of passengers and crew on Saturday.

Fullers chief executive Kit Nixon said in Paihia yesterday that the Tiger 3's port hull was extensively damaged, with less damage to the starboard hull.

The 23m ferry, carrying sightseers and three crew on a Hole In The Rock scenic cruise to Piercy Island, is believed to have suffered engine failure.

It then grounded on rocks near Cape Brett lighthouse at the southern entrance to the Bay of Islands.

Passengers were able to climb from the vessel and walk to the lighthouse landing.

Helicopters from Auckland, Whangarei and the Bay of Islands picked up all passengers and crew and flew them back to Paihia, where the catamaran is based.

Mr Nixon said salvage and refloating would be undertaken by experts to minimise the risk of further damage to the vessel.

The grounding is being investigated by the Maritime Safety Authority (MSA) and the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC).

The Northland Regional Council will monitor the recovery of the vessel.

Mr Nixon said the company did not know yet what had caused the Tiger 3 to ground. Asked about engine failure, he said: "That's what we understand."

The 15-year-old catamaran can accommodate 220 people. It is worth "a couple of million dollars" and has been "very good for the company," Mr Nixon said.

Trips to Cape Brett on other Fullers' boats are continuing as scheduled, and the company expects to be able to sail with several hundred passengers twice a day during the busy Christmas period.

"We'll still be right up there," he said. But some restructuring of schedules or trips was likely in coming months.

Senior Constable Wayne Mills, of Paihia, said the rescue involved police, coastguard, ambulance, fire brigade and hospital staff.

He praised the ferry crew who, under difficult circumstances, were able to move all passengers to safety without injury.

Winds at the time of the grounding were gusty and blowing from the southwest at 20-25 knots, he said.

"This was the first time rescue services had worked together in the Bay of Islands on a scale like this.

"It was great to have got the result we did. It's a credit to all concerned. It could have easily turned to tragedy."