News
Poor boat load checking
NICK CLARK - The Mercury (2009-09-18 03:35:48)
MARINE and Safety Tasmania did not actively enforce load limits on abalone boats, a coronial inquest heard yesterday.
Workplace Standards Tasmania inspector Lawrence Jovich said he had investigated the death of deckhand David Colson on October 8, 2007.
Mr Jovich told Coroner Steve Carey that there were stricter load limits on recreational fishermen than commercial fishermen.
The inquest has previously heard that the vessel Too Easy owned by abalone diver Tony Burton was carrying 744kg of abalone on the day it sank -- compared with the 235kg limit it was later assigned.
Mr Jovich said police did not look at load limits but rather the carrying of safety equipment.
MAST manager of vessel standards and survey Gwynne Alway said MAST had no load limits in place at the time.
He said MAST did not have people available to inspect vessels but relied on police to do surveillance work.
The inquest heard in June that the vessel had no life jackets or VHF radio on board and that an EPIRB (emergency beacon) was never found by police.
Mr Colson died of hypothermia but Mr Burton was found by police on Perkins Island. [go back...]
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