Seafort Holdings Ltd sentencing

A second high speed vessel operator charged after a passenger received serious back injuries has been sentenced in the Auckland District Court this afternoon, following a prosecution by Maritime New Zealand (MNZ).

Seafort Holdings Ltd, the operator of the Bay of Islands-based high speed vessel Mack Attack, was charged after an incident on 21 December 2010 when a female passenger was thrown into the air during a thrill ride in Paihia and suffered serious spinal injuries.

Seafort pleaded guilty to two charges under the Health and Safety in Employment Act (HSEA):

• under sections 15 and 50 of the HSEA, failing to take all practicable steps to ensure that no action or inaction of any employee while at work harmed any other person 

• under sections 25 and 50 of the HSEA, failing to notify the Director of MNZ of the occurrence of serious harm as soon as possible after the occurrence became known.

Today, Seafort was convicted and fined $20,000 for the first charge and $10,000 for the second charge. The company was also ordered to pay the victim $90,000 in reparations.

The sentencing followed the sentencing of Intercity Group (NZ) Ltd on similar charges earlier today (see earlier MNZ media release for details).

MNZ has also charged the owner of Mack Attack, Richard John Prentice, in relation to a separate, close quarters incident on 5 January 2011. Mr Prentice has pleaded not guilty to the charge. His next appearance is set down for 27 July in the Kaikohe District Court.