The skipper of a charter which capsized in Far North waters, claiming the lives of five people, has denied breaching health and safety laws.
The Enchanter was on a fishing trip when it was capsized by a vertical wave near North Cape, on March 20, 2022.
Five people died in the incident: Mike Lovett, 72, Richard Bright, 63, Mark Sanders, 43, Mark Walker, 41 and Geoff Allen, 72 – all Waikato fathers who had formed a tight-knit fishing syndicate out of Bright’s Cambridge bar.
Five other people were winched to safety by helicopter in dark and atrocious conditions, including skipper Lance Goodhew and deckhand Kobe O’Neill.
Goodhew and his business Enchanter Charters were charged by Maritime NZ for breaching the Health and Safety Work Act 2015.
The charter company also faces an additional charge of breaching the Maritime Transport Act 1994.
Supplied
The Enchanter was ripped apart and capsized by a near vertical wave in the March 2022 disaster, which claimed the lives of five people. (File photo)
Goodhew’s appearance was excused on Wednesday at the Whangārei District Court before Judge Philip Rzepecky.
He has denied all three charges.
A judge-alone trial is expected to take three weeks, but a date is yet to be set.
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Lance Goodhew was the skipper and is the owner of Enchanter Charters. He denies the charges against him and his company. (File photo)
It is also unclear if the trial will take place in Kaitāia – where the charges were first laid – or Whangārei, where there is more capacity.
An investigation by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission, released on Friday, found the boat’s life jackets were stowed away and could not be reached when disaster struck.
Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter/Supplied
After the Enchanter capsized, five people were successfully rescued while five died.
The 100-page report also found faults with the search and rescue operation, as well as with the boat’s marine survey.
The search and rescue problems included delays with getting dedicated air ambulance helicopters ready for the rescue and the helicopters being grounded for 4½ hours while extra fuel was sourced.
TAIC has made nine recommendations to the Ministry of Transport and Maritime NZ, to improve search and rescue operations and marine surveys.
The case against Goodhew and Enchanter Charters will next be heard in court in September.
