KiwiRail was sentenced in the Wellington District Court on Monday afternoon after pleading guilty to exposing passengers to risk when the Interislander ferry broke down off Wellington’s rocky south coast.
In January 2023, the Kaitaki entered Wellington Harbor with more than 880 people on board when it lost propulsion – resulting in a distress call.
The anchors were lowered and life jackets distributed to the passengers, but the crew was able to restore the limited power, allowing the ship to limp into port, escorted by tugboats.
In January this year, Maritime NZ laid charges of exposing people to the risk of harm following a nearly year-long investigation into the incident.
The company has now been ordered to pay $432,500, including costs related to the case.
Victim impact statements today shared stories from passengers who compared the incident to the Wahine disaster, with many vowing not to use Interislander again.
The maximum penalty the organization faced is a fine of up to $1.5 million.
