A Korean fishing boat sank in New Zealand waters nearly two years ago because it was not watertight, an expert witness testified at an inquest today.
A Coroner’s Court inquest is being held in to the 2010 sinking of the Korean fishing boat Oyang 70 in calm conditions 740 kilometres off the coast of Otago. Six men died in the accident.
How watertight the vessel was when it sunk has been the subject of debate at the inquest into how three of the Indonesian crewmen died.
Maritime expert Robert Leyden said the ship could have survived a severe list when crew pulled in a very large haul of fish if the vessel had been watertight.
“Had the watertight bulk head, between the factory deck and the engine room, actually been watertight it is probable for crew to have sufficient time to remove the mass of fish on the trawl deck, press up the various slack filled tanks on the port side and bring the vessel upright,” said Leyden from Germanischer Lloyd New Zealand Ltd Principal Surveyor.
“Even with marginal stability the vessel should’ve been able to remain in float indefinitely with this list and the weather conditions prevailing at the time,” said Leyden.
The Maritime expert said inoperable scuppers or drain holes meant there was no way for water to wash off the ship, and waste shoots and watertight doors were left open allowing the engine room to flood.
“Had the crew been sufficiently trained in an abandon ship procedure and sufficiently an organised abandon ship undertaken, the head count of the survivors would have shown that not all the crew were accounted for,” said Leyden.
Earlier today, Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) maritime services manager Sharyn Forsyth told the court the Oyang did not sink due to watertight integrity issues.
“Even the newest ship, with all watertight doors fully closed, will not remain upright in the event that too great a weight is pulled aboard,” she said, referring to earlier evidence that the ship capsized when pulling in an over-full net.
She defended the agency’s role in checking on the safety of foreign charter fishing vessels.
Forsyth said today that MNZ had “taken a number of decisive actions” since the sinking and inspections were now to a “higher standard” than previously.
Checklists had been developed that required a complete physical inspection of the structure of the vessel, all lifesaving appliances, fire fighting appliances and radio equipment, she said.
The inquest is expected to run until the end of the week.
2012, Television New Zealand Limited