Findings on the "Tui Lau"

The court of investigation into the stranding of the Tui Lau on October 25 has cancelled the Certificate of Competency of the Master, Captain Donald Wendt.

Giving the court’s decision on December 20, the Senior Magistrate, Mr. Clifford H. Grant, said the court found that the stranding and loss of the ship was caused by the in competency of Captain Wendt “fail ing to comply with elementary pro cedures of navigation and in plotting a course from Kabara dangerously close to the reef of Totoya Island; to the wrongful default of Captain Wendt in leaving an unsupervised, uncertified person as officer of the watch in Fiji coastal waters at night, and the wrongful default of Captain Wendt in not posting a lookout in Fiji coastal waters at night”.

Mr. Grant said: “The court was informed that is was the custom not to post a lookout in Fiji coastal waters at night. If such a manifestly dangerous custom exists it is to be deplored”.

“The court rejects the submission that a lower standard of seamanship should be accepted for Fiji than that which applies to more sophisticated territories. The value of human life is no less in Fiji than anywhere else.

Had it not been for the timely intervention of HMS Fife the con sequence of this stranding could have been very much more serious, and the ready and able assistance which was offered by Fife was commendable and praiseworthy.”

"Erased marks"

The “uncertified, unsupervised person” referred to by the court was 18-year-old Cadet Officer Frederick Smith who alleged during the hearing that Captain Wendt had set a course of 260 degrees to Totoya from Kabara, not 265 degrees as Wendt had said. Smith alleged that Wendt had erased marks on the chart just before the ship had struck.

In its findings, the court said it was satisfied that Wendt had laid a compass course of 260 degrees and written it in pencil on the chart, and that Smith had followed this calcula tion.

“That this calculation was not a figment of the imagination of Frederick George Smith is borne out

(Continued on p. 133)

Shortly before the "Moanaraoi" left Sydney in November and discovered the "Waka Toru", "Moanaraoi's" master, Captain Peter King (foreground), and a fellow officer put finishing touches to the GEIC coat-of arms which graces the bow of the ship.

The mermaid at right is another example of Captain King's brushwork.

The "Tui Lau" in happier days.

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found ’

In giving its decision it was com

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with elementary procedures of navigation.

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i a j d bv Cantain Wendt and was false The the owne^ to ensure in future that the bridge log hook is effectively kept. j n Tonea the 160-ton Korean fishing vessel No 255 Nam Mai badly dam aged when shT hh a ree f 250 miles from Nukualofa in December Nukualofa December.

The crew of 19 managed to struggle ashore on Tongatapu’s south coast.