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Teenage skipper Jessica Watson was asleep when her plastic yacht hit a 63,000-tonne sea freighter off North Stradbroke Island last month.
A preliminary report into the collision was released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau earlier today and has revealed Jessica had been catnapping at the time of the crash on September 8.
Jessica had earlier admittedthat -havinga number of collision avoidance systems running at the time – she was catching “a few cat naps”.
Instead, she had detected another vessel six miles away and deemed it was not a collision risk before setting her alarm and going to bed.
Investigators found Jessica had not spotted the 225-metre bulk carrier Silver Yang on her radar equipment despite checking four minutes before impact, 15 nautical miles from Point Lookout.50am, the bow of Jessica’s 10-metre sloop Ella’s Pink Lady collided with the ship’s starboard side, tearing off the yacht’s mast and scraping its side.
At 1.
The 16-year-old, who had been on the first night of a week-long test run to Sydney ahead of her world record attempt to sail solo around the globe, woke up and tried twice to contact the Silver Yang on her radio.
The report found the Silver Yang had tried to avoid Jessica and had stopped the ship’s engines as soon as crew realised there had been a crash.
On the second attempt, she told the Chinese-speaking crewman she did not need help.
“The collision was almost square on,” it stated
“The collision woke Ella’s Pink Lady’s skipper.
The ship continued on its journey after Jessica told them she was OK, the report found. She looked upwards and thought that it was likely that the yacht’s rigging would become entangled with the ship and dismast her vessel, so she returned to the cabin. She climbed out of the cabin, grabbed the tiller and tried to steer the yacht.
“A few seconds later the mast came crashing down.
“A few seconds later the mast came crashing down.
But before she departed from Sydney, the safety bureau took the teen sailor to visit the bridge watch-keeper’s position on a tanker ship in order to help her understand what could be seen from that vantage point. .
Lead investigator Peter Foley said Jessica had used high-quality equipment, but improvements had been made ahead of her journey around the world.
They also suggested she visit fatigue-management experts in an effort to help her better manage her sleep patterns on the solo journey.
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A massive wildfire tore through outlying suburbs north of Athens early Sunday, destroying homes and forcing thousands to flee in dramatic overnight evacuations, Fire Service and local officials said.
The fires near the capital raged for a third day, blackening thousands of hectares of rugged land covered by pine forest or thick bushes. Anti-aircraft missiles at a nearby base were removed as flames approached, the army said. Fires are out of control on many fronts,” greater Athens local governor Yiannis Sgouros said.”The situation is tragic.After daybreak, planes and helicopters resumed water drops following an eight-hour pause that allowed the wildfire to spread across parts of Mount Penteli and reach suburban homes.A state of emergency was declared in greater Athens, in the worst destruction seen here since massive fires struck southern Greece in 2007 and killed more than 70 people. Clouds of black smoke filled the capital’s skyline and obscured the sun.Deputy Fire Chief Stelios Stefanidis said no casualties had been reported by early Sunday, despite the overnight evacuations of hundreds of hillside homes on the outskirts of the city.Authorities evacuated two large children’s hospitals, camp sites, and homes in villages and outlying suburban areas threatened by blazes that scattered ash on streets across the city. .The fires, which started late Friday, were reported in an area more than 25 miles (40km) wide.Residents battled the fires outside their homes with hose-pipes and even branches, and many ignored evacuation orders that were called out over loud speakers in fire-stricken towns.Winds of up to 50 kilometers per hour were forecast Sunday, while Stefanidis said the thick smoke was hampering water drops. Volunteers and army conscripts joined hundreds of firefighters to help fend off the flames. Volunteers and army conscripts joined hundreds of firefighters to help fend off the flames.”Some of the threatened areas were in the vicinity of the town of Marathon, from which the modern long-distance foot race takes its name. “A massive effort by authorities is taking place to deal with this very difficult challenge.Elsewhere in Greece, serious fires were reported on the islands of Evia and Skyros.Municipal officials in that area said the fire was threatening the archaeological site of Rhamnus, home to two 2,500-year-old temples.
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Finance Minister Bill English says he appreciates the support he gets from taxpayers, which saw him claim close toly $1000 a week to live in his family house in Wellington.
Mr English today defended the payments, saying it was within the rules and was the same as other ministers were getting.The English’s family trust owns the $1. He had made the best option for his family and the cheapest for taxpayers.Mr English, the MP for Clutha-Southland, is entitled as an out-of-Wellington minister to either a crown-owned house or an accommodation allowance.2 million house in Karori.Other costs are also covered – including power and cleaning – which saw Mr English claim more than $23,000 for living in the house for the six months to June 30.He has six children and his wife works as a GP in WellingtonHe said Prime Minister John Key had capped the accommodation rate at $700 a week for rent, which was previously unlimited.He said most people thought politicians were paid too much, their cars were too big and their travel costs too extravagant. As deputy prime minister he earns $276,700 a year.”I get the same deal as everyone else. .”Mr English has come under attack for the claim at the same time as he has called for “permanent restraint” in the public sector. This isn’t about the money this is about the support I get which I appreciate that enables our family to be together.Meanwhile, at the National Party caucus in Christchurch today high profile delegate Wira Gardiner’s bid for the presidency fell at the first hurdle, when he failed to secure a seat on the party’s governing board.But he said the Government had shown leadership including a cap on the amount that could be claimed, and a cap on the number of staff in the Beehive. The front-runner is Auckland businessman Peter Goodfellow.The board will select a president tomorrow to replace Judy Kirk who is stepping down after seven years.He told reporters he did not rule out a capital gains tax, though he said it would be hard to persuade a National Government a capital gains tax was a good idea.In his speech to the conference Bill English warned the party it must be prepared for possible tax changes that they would be uncomfortable with.Prime Minister John Key’s speech to the conference tomorrow will include a package of youth employment initiatives, likely to include details of its youth guarantee policy.The Government needed to get as much revenue in over the next five years without raising the tax burden.
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About a dozen protesters faced the rain today to stick a summons on Social Development Minister Paula Bennett’s door.
The protest, organised by Socialist Aotearoa was over National’s cutting of the Training Incentive Allowance (TIA) and Ms Bennett’s revealing of beneficiaries’ private information.
The mothers said without it they would not be able to continue courses which would help them get jobs.
Ms Bennett has been under fire this week for revealing the welfare payment details of two solo mothers, on benefits, who complained about the Government’s decision to scrap the TIA.
“We think it’s disgraceful that people are trying to scapegoat on the poor and the unemployed and single mothers for the problems in society,” said Socialist Aotearoa member Joe Carolan.
The protesting group, a coalition of community, disabled and trade union groups, was at Ms Bennett’s West Auckland office today. .
“We are in a huge economic crisis at the moment where 50,000 people are going to lose their jobs so we need more support and more training for the unemployed in this period. We need all the help we can get, not to be yet again discriminated against by the Government.
“As a single parent and a student myself I know how hard it is to try and complete some training.
“It’s going to significantly affect my ability to keep studying.”
She said the cut would mean she would not have money for travel, text books and it would affect her ability to afford childcare.”
The summons, stuck on to Ms Bennett’s door, called for her to attend a hearing of “the people’s court” to defend her actions in cutting the TIA and revealing the personal information of the two beneficiaries.”
Ms Ferguson said she would keep studying regardless, but it would be “incredibly difficult.
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The hearing is set for next Saturday, at her office
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A case involving an HIV-positive man charged with infecting others with the disease has aroused plenty of fear, the New Zealand Aids Foundation said today.
Glenn Richard Albert Mills, 40, now faces 28 charges including wounding or attempted wounding with reckless disregard, infecting with a disease and attempting to infect with a disease. .
Fourteen of those charges were added today as a result of publicity arising from his earlier appearances in Auckland District Court and the lifting of name suppression the previous month.
She said the numbers coming to the foundation to have HIV tests had gone up by 40 per cent since Mills’ name was released.
Aids foundation executive director Rachael Le Mesurier said she knew it was “a scary time for many people”.
“We’re also aware that a lot of people have realised that they might have put themselves at risk with somebody else.
“We’re very aware that some of these people may have had contact with the accused,” she said.
While Mills is alleged to have knowingly infected, or tried to infect others, it was far more likely for people to get HIV from partners who didn’t know they had the disease.”
Ms Le Mesurier said the Mills case was unusual.
“The best answer is to use condoms and to get yourself tested as regularly as you can,” she said.
Ms Le Mesurier said everyone who was concerned about the possibility that he or she might have contracted HIV should get tested, either by the foundation or by a GP.
The new counts concerned offending that was alleged to have occurred between April last year to May this year.
The latest complainants against Mills include two females aged 23 and 28 and five men aged between 18 and 28.
The new charges arose after publicity about the case and the lifting the previous month of suppression of Mills’ name and photo.
The offences were alleged to have happened in Auckland and Wellington and, in relation to one male complainant, on the “high seas”.
He is accused of attempting to infect the others with the virus and with attempting to cause them grievous bodily harm.
Of the new complainants, Mills is accused of infecting two of them with HIV and resulting in them grievous bodily harm.
On the previous charges, which were laid before the law change, he was remanded until November 24 for a depositions hearing, which is expected to take four days.
He was remanded in custody to reappear on September 23 for a pre-committal hearing under the new trial process that came into effect the previous month and did away with oral depositions.
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A Nomads gang member whose house was torched in a suspected arson attack has been forced out of Levin for his own protection.
Phillip “Filthy” John Stevens, 31, appeared in the Palmerston North District Court yesterday, after he pleaded guilty to drink-driving, driving while disqualified, and breaching the conditions of community detention.
Neither Stevens, his partner, nor three young children were home at the time of the fire.
The influential Nomads member’s Kinross St property was destroyed by fire on June 15, thought to be a result of conflict between junior and senior Nomads members following the death of the gang’s founder, Dennis “Mossie” Hines, on June 7.
He was to go straight from court to collect his belongings from Levin, before leaving the area on bail until his July sentencing.
In court discussions about his sentencing yesterday, Judge Gerard Lynch ordered the case be transferred from Palmerston North, but suppressed the exact location for Stevens’ protection.
“I would have thought Levin is the last place he should be,” he said.
But Judge Lynch considered even that a risk. Community detention was not an option as a result of his history of non-compliance.
A sentence of imprisonment was recommended, but under the “current circumstances” home detention could be considered, the court heard.
Hines’ stepson, Tony Cootes, 25, was shot the same day the Nomads founder was laid to rest in Foxton and police believed other incidents in the area about the same time were gang-related.
Outside court, Stevens’ lawyer Stephen De Vorms said certain actions had to be taken since his client’s life had come into real danger.
“There is some suggestion that Dennis, as the founder of the gang, felt it should die with him and the dispute appears to be conflict between those who feel that Dennis’ legacy should be honoured and those who feel someone else should .
Detective Senior Sergeant Marc Hercock told the there appeared to be a difference of opinion within the gang about its future and direction… . be leader
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Teens accused of resulting in $30,000 damage
– Monday, 23 February 2009
Five teenagers have been arrested in connection with an early morning rampage in which at least over $30,000 worth of damage was done to parked vehicles in Auckland. . It is also alleged they set fire to council wheelie-bins.Police allege the youths were travelling in a white station wagon and randomly throwing rocks and bottles through car windows.Police said they thought more damage might have been done but had gone unreported.On the same night a rock was also thrown through a bedroom window in which a mother and her child were sleeping.Police said Newmarket, Remuera, Orakei, Mission Bay, Kohimarama, St Heliers, Glendowie, Glen Innes, Pakuranga and Half Moon Bay were the areas affected. They urged anyone who believed their property might have been damaged on that night to contact them.
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‘Traumatic’ death sparks hunt for missing partner
and JO MCKENZIE MCLEAN – Tuesday, 17 February 2009
Homicide inquiry: Police investigate the scene in Waiau where Jo-Anne Thompson was found dead yesterday.
A North Canterbury man is being hunted by police after the "traumatic" death of his partner, discovered after her young sons were seen wandering outside the family's run-down Waiau house.
A neighbour found the couple's sons, aged four and six, outside the house about 8am yesterday.
Police earlier today will remove the body of Jo-Anne Thompson from her Parnassus Street home.
Police were unable to say how the woman died but an officer described Thompson's death as "traumatic".
Other neighbours were unable to find the boys' mother and called police, who found Thompson's body in the bathroom of the weatherboard house, which remained cordoned yesterday.
Fraser had been kicked out of the home a week ago, a neighbour said.
A homicide inquiry was launched as police searched for the woman's partner, Ross Simon Fraser, 43.
"She looked after her kids they were her number one priority.
Thompson's neighbour, Nigal Stratford, described the 46-year-old mother as a "real nice lady" whose life revolved around her children. She was such a nice person she had no enemies. Everyone is just gutted. I don't know anyone who actually liked him. But he was the opposite."
The pair had been in an "on-again, off-again" relationship, he said. He was a scum-bag, basically."
Last week, Stratford had asked Thompson about the relationship and questioned what she was doing with Fraser.
"The last I had seen she had kicked him out about a week ago and he had gone."
The news of the death had shocked the small community of 254, he said.
"She didn't really say anything.
Fraser, a shearer, has two older children with a former partner.
The children spent the day with a neighbour and were taken in by extended family last night.
She was also looking forward to the younger boy starting school this year.
Waiau School principal Mary Kimber said the six-year-old boy was "delightful and lovely".
"The teachers are very upset.
"The teachers are very upset. They know how much Jo was looking forward to being a parent-teacher helper when (the younger child) started school."
Waiau residents said Fraser's behaviour had become increasingly erratic over the years.
Ram's Head Cafe and Bar owner Lindsay Clemens said Fraser bought one bottle of beer from his bar on Sunday.
"He's an unusual fella to say the least," he said. "I thought he was a bit of a clown. I allowed him four bottles on a visit.
"I'd say, `one and you're tolerable, two and you're annoying people, three and you're really p…… people off, four and someone's going to punch you and it might be me'.
"He just had a different disposition than everybody else. He got a high off upsetting people."
Fellow shearer Alistair Parkes said Fraser had some "pretty way-out ideas" and would often go for a week without washing.
Fraser, described by police as an itinerant shearer, had been working on and off for one Waiau family for about seven years.
His employers, who did not want to be named, said they were "blown away" by the news.
"We knew Jo as well and as far as we were concerned they were both good people.
"We just can't understand what's happened here.
"He'd help anybody and take the shirt off his back if he had one to give and she'd stay home and look after the kids. They meant the world to her."
The employers agreed Fraser had lost his "zip" recently.
They said Fraser had not worked over the weekend and they were unable to contact him on Sunday night to inform him he was expected yesterday morning. . They left his house without checking inside, saying it was not unusual for some farm workers to skip Monday after a "big weekend".
Police described Fraser as 170cm tall, of thin build, with shoulder-length scruffy hair.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts should contact Detective Sergeant Rex Barnett or Detective Tanya Drake, of the Rangiora police on (03) 313 6167.
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Boy in blue bears weight of funeral
in Auckland – Saturday, 31 January 2009
/The
BURDEN: A young constable bore the weight of both the police force and the Tongan community yesterday as he carried his cousin’s coffin.
A young constable bore the weight of both the police force and the Tongan community yesterday as he carried his cousin's coffin from a makeshift chapel in the backyard of his extended family's South Auckland home.
Naitoko was farewelled at a moving ceremony attended by more than 1000 mourners.
Police accidentally killed his cousin, 17-year-old Halatau Naitoko, during a shootout on Auckland's Northwestern Motorway on January 23. She later sobbed uncontrollably.
His heavily pregnant mother, Ivoni Fuimaono, wailed with grief as she lent over her dead son's coffin, kissed his forehead and stroked his hair. "His [Naitoko's] mother requested it," he said.
Asked to act as a pallbearer, Naitoko's cousin, Constable Joseph Ahotalafolau, 19, donned his dress blues for the occasion.
Standing beside the unfilled grave, relatives spotted a forbidden plastic flower on top of the coffin and called on the long arm of the law to retrieve it.
Although Ahotalafolau had permission from his bosses to wear his uniform, they were unaware of the special role he would play at the service or at the burial.
Ahotalafolau said few of his police colleagues had talked to him about his cousin's shooting.
Holding on to his feet, they lowered the young constable into the grave so he could reach the offending bloom."
But his uniformed presence at the service symbolised just how far Naitoko's family had come in forgiving the police for his death.
"It's been a bit hard.
Pastor Vosailangi Sikalu speaking through an interpreter told the gathering the blood of an innocent boy had been spilled.
Forgiveness was also the theme of the service attended by Police Minister Judith Collins, Commissioner Howard Broad and other central and local government figures. "Let that be the message to the Government officials and dignitaries, the minister of police, the police commissioner, even to the beloved policeman who fired the fatal shot.
"That blood is crying out for forgiveness," he said. "All he wanted to do was fulfil his obligation to his family," she said."
His aunt, Paea Sime, said Naitoko was a good and loyal son who worked hard to help his mother, and feed his younger siblings, even to buy nappies for his sister's baby."
. "He was killed in the line of his duty