Rena: NZ charges officers with perverting justice

Both men, who have name suppression, appeared in Tauranga District Court today and faced a new charge alleging they altered the ship's documents after it crashed into the Astrolabe reef, attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The charges were laid under the Crimes Act and could see the men facing jail time.

Corrupting juries and witnesses
Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who—
(a) dissuades or attempts to dissuade a person, by threats, bribes, or other corrupt means, from giving evidence in any cause or matter (whether civil or criminal, and whether tried or to be tried in New Zealand or in an overseas jurisdiction); or
(b) influences or attempts to influence, by threats or bribes or other corrupt means, a member of a jury in his or her conduct as such (whether in a cause or matter tried or to be tried in New Zealand or in an overseas jurisdiction, and whether the member has been sworn as a member of a particular jury or not); or
(c) accepts any bribe or other corrupt consideration to abstain from giving evidence (whether in a cause or matter tried or to be tried in New Zealand or in an overseas jurisdiction); or
(d) accepts any bribe or other corrupt consideration on account of his or her conduct as a member of a jury (whether in a cause or matter tried or to be tried in New Zealand or in an overseas jurisdiction, and whether the member has been sworn as a member of a particular jury or not); or
(e) wilfully attempts in any other way to obstruct, prevent, pervert, or defeat the course of justice in New Zealand or the course of justice in an overseas jurisdiction.

Both were remanded at large to reappear in Tauranga District Court on February 29.

Rena: hang the captain

The captain has been charged with being the master of a ship from which harmful substances and/or contaminants were discharged into a coastal marine area.

The second officer is charged with being responsible for the watch of a ship from which the same offence occurred.

The RMA charge carries a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment or a fine up to $300,000. If the offence continues, a fine of $10,000 for every day or part of the day the offending continues can be imposed. The Maritime Transport Act charge carries a maximum penalty of 12 months prison or maximum fine of $10,000 Judge Wolff, who further remanded the two defendants on bail until December 21, confirmed the suppression orders in place would continue until further notice. Mana Party leader Mr Harawira wants a strong punishment for the Rena's captain.

"Hanging the poor bugger might sound a bit harsh, but somebody should pay," he said.

Rena:video crack, captain, 2d charged

Rena's captain had been charged under section 65 of the Maritime Transport Act. He faces a fine of $7,800 (£5,000) or a maximum prison sentence of 12 months if convicted.

More charges were likely, MNZ said.

He appeared at a court in Tauranga on Wednesday morning and was granted bail for one week, when he is next due in court.

Judge Robert Wolff granted his lawyer's request that the captain's name be suppressed because people "might want to take matters into their own hands".

The captain's passport has been confiscated and he is to remain at a nominated address approved by the prosecutors and make daily reports to a local police station subject to the needs of the salvage operation.

It is not clear how the vessel ran aground on a well-marked reef in calm weather.

The second officer of the stricken ship Rena has been charged. The man, who was in charge of the navigational watch of the vessel, will face a charge of operating a vessel in a manner causing unnecessary danger or risk in Tauranga District Court October 13).

4.07pm: Prime Minister John Key has announced the stricken Rena cargo ship has "stress fractures" in its hull and may break up.

videos

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/massive-crack-rena-4460592/video?vid=4462136


http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/5770592/Rena-disaster-Second-officer-charged-cracks-in-ship#share

Rena: captain had been drinking?

An investigation will consider whether the captain of a stricken cargo ship had been drinking when the vessel ran aground off Tauranga, Transport Minister Steven Joyce says.

The Liberian-flagged Rena was carrying about 1700 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and about 70 tonnes of marine diesel when it struck the Astrolabe Reef at top speed on October 5.
The course the ship should be steering is about three miles to the north of astrolabe reef and there are no obstacles in the way.

He said he would have seen the two flashes of a lighthouse and two white flashes every so many seconds to indicate Mortiti Island.

One possible factor - the ship is believed to not have been equipped with an electronic course plotter, which would have alerted the crew if she strayed from her intended route.

"Our understanding is on the bridge they have radar and they got a GPS that gives them their position and traditional paper charts on the chart table [the equipment] has been enough since World War II and it's kept the port safe."

The ship is put on automatic pilot and a watch keeper monitors the position of the ship and maintains its planned trip.

"He's looking out for the radar. He's looking out through the windows to look for anything that would impede a safe passage."

Lees said an alarm would be sounded when the auto pilot could not keep on course anymore.

But, the reef would not show on the radar because it is too low and there would be no proximity alarms to indicate danger.

Samho Jewelry: the captured piratesand corpses

Seok Hae-gyun, the ship’s 58-year-old captain, was rushed to Oman’s Port of Salalah and had a five-hour operation shortly after Jan. 21's rescue. Seok was shot several times by a pirate believed to be the leader when special forces began the rescue. The shooter was captured by the Korean military.Eight pirates were killed and five captured. Three special forces soldiers were also wounded during the mission.
The Samho Jewelry, escorted by the 4,500-ton Navy destroyer Choi Young, sailed to the Muscat, Oman’s capital. Although the ships are close to their destination, they are to enter the port on January 27, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, as more time is needed to discuss how to handle the captured pirates and the corpses of those killed during the rescue. Despite the risks involved, Seok secretly mixed water with engine oil to stop its engines, the military said, which significantly slowed the ship. He also changed the ship’s course to ensure it remained in international waters as long as possible to assist the rescue operation. Joongang