KiwiRail and its Interislander ferry division have refuted claims by MP Winston Peters’ that it has covered-up three incidents involving Interislander ferries.
“No cover up has occurred and in the case of one of Mr Peters’ claim that recent damage to the Stena Allegra propeller occurred because the ferry hit a wharf in Picton is quite simply, wrong,” Interislander general manager Thomas Davis has stated.
Davis says safety is Interislander’s top priority, and the organisation encourages a culture of full incident reporting as a matter of practice to maintain the organisation’s high safety record.
Peters’ two other claims of a cover up also cannot be supported according to Davis.
“Our internal investigation team is examining these alleged incidents, including taking steps to ensure our staff are treated appropriately through the investigation process.”
Davis says KiwiRail also report to Maritime New Zealand as a matter of course.
Meanwhile the company has stood down two of its captains following near-miss incidents.
The incidents involving the Arahura are under investigation and mean the Stena Alegra is unlikely to return to a routine timetable before the weekend.
A spokesperson for KiwiRail says while there will be some cancellations, it doesn’t expect it to be a major problem.
