It only cost the New Zealand Taxpayers a capital charge just over one hundred Million and a still unannounced installation cost including a botched site delivery involving a fuel spill.
A clear victory for DEI as the Commander on the delivery voyage “Manfully stepped up when things went awry” and saved every single crew person. Kings Birthday honours await Commander Grey.
There appears to have been a clerical error in the transmission of qualification documentation for the crew of the now kindly donated diving reef, leading to rumours that many were struggling to provide investigators of actual levels of qualifications for almost all on board for the delivery voyage.
There is speculation that those brave souls who volunteered for the delivery voyage may have been unable to disengage the Auto pilot in a remarkably similar incident to a problem encountered by Interislander, some cooperation is being sought from the State Railway for possible solutions.
Other news, rumours abound of a price hike for Whitewash around Devonport as supply chain issues arise.
Also reports are coming in that a shipment of bus tickets fell off a barge and Defence chiefs are calling for an inquiry
As a retired Master I think that the Committee of Inquiry did a good job.
1 They got the initial report out in 6 weeks approx and the full inquiry in 6 months. Compare with TAIC and the MSA who take more than a year in many cases.
2 They didn’t hold back in who was at fault and the gaps in the Chain of Command that saw an unqualified officer and crew appointed to a ship that none of them was experienced in.
3 What I want to see is the people who appointed the CO and unqualified staff held to account.
If this was a Commercial Vessel, the Master and Company would be hauled over the coals.
I have served as Ch Officer (2 i/c) in DSVs.