Iwi have responded to the release of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission inquiry to the grounding of the Rena on Astrolabe reef saying it has no substance.
The report was released in Tauranga this afternoon with the inquiry concluding that the grounding was the crews fault.
The grounding of the Rena in 2011 will forever remain in the minds of those who witnessed it. Now four years later the Transport Accident Investigation Commission has finally released a report into why the RENA ran a-ground outside of Tauranga.
QC Chief Commissioner John Marshall says, “We are holding this briefing in Tauranga for two reasons, as an act of accountability for our work as a commission acting under statue and as a mark of respect for the communities and victims of the Rena grounding.”
The report says the crew was at fault for grounding the Rena because they did not have any good standard practices in planning, navigation and taking over control of the ship.
Charlie Tawhiao, chairman of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Te Rangi says you could clearly see that in the report but what have we learnt from this.
“There is a lot of bad from this situation but firstly the Government doesn't even know or have a database of how many ships we actually have in and around New Zealand,” says Tawhiao.
While accountability from the Captain and Second mate was key in the report the commission also found that there was no malfunction of any machinery or navigational equipment on-board the Rena and it did not contribute to its grounding but iwi say it's the outcome following the grounding that is the main issue.
According to Joe Harawira, “On stormy days some of the containers resurface from that ship and that to me is a concern.”
“Without any doubt what we have always said is that we want that wreck removed from Astrolabe reef take that rubbish elsewhere,” says Tawhiao.
From the report the Transport Accident Investigation Commission has made two recommendations to Maritime New Zealand, is there a need for ship routing and also marking hazards to navigation around New Zealand.