"No Accountability in New Zealand" Fox Glacier Aviation Disaster
Teamster / August 13, 2012
Bradley Coker was one of nine people killed in the Fox Glacier plane crash
The inquest into the deaths of nine people in the Fox Glacier plane disaster two years ago has been told there is "no accountability in New Zealand"
In a letter from the parents of Bradley Coker, a British tourist killed in the crash it was revealed
"There have been without doubt major failings by the Civil Aviation Authority and there were major failings by the aircraft operators."
It had been flown out of balance and overloaded 75 times, which meant such an accident was an "inevitable certainty".
They called for law changes to ensure "proper responsibility" to those who were involved, saying there was "no accountability in New Zealand". Read more source
In an interview given to the BBC in May of this year Bradley's family told reporters his death was one of many in the adventure tourism sector in New Zealand, one that is perceived to be poorly regulated and with a high accident rate. They gave this advice to viewers:
"To anyone thinking about going to New Zealand on an adrenaline sport think twice, the report is a catalogue of errors from both the CAA and the sky diving company" … regulations "not enforced"… "two of the tandem masters had actually taken controlled drugs before they got on the plane" (cannabis)
In a statement to the BBC, Prime Minister John Key said approximately 50 people had been killed in adventure tourism sector in the last 8 years.
New Zealand a "safe country"
Parents of another deceased tourist, Annika Kirsten due to return nome on 3 October but instead her ashes arrived in an urn on 18 September, also wrote a letter to the inquest
Her parents had encouraged her to travel to New Zealand, thinking it was a safe country.
Since the crash, they had suffered post-traumatic stress syndrome.
"Together, with our daughter, we lost our future, our sense of life and our hope."
They blamed the CAA for failing to adequately supervise the industry and Skydive New Zealand for acting negligently.
"In the name of our daughter, we ask the responsible people, who are still alive to stand up to their responsibility and to tell the truth about their negligence in the inquest."
A live streaming broadcast of the inquest may be found here http://www2.justice.govt.nz/courts/coroners-court/courtstreaming.html
New Zealand tourism a catalgoue of disasters and drug taking
The Fox Glacier crash was before the Carterton ballooning tragedy in which 11 people were engulfed in flames. The balloon pilot, Lance Hopping, was later found to have cannabis in his system at the time of his death. Remarkably, two of the jump masters in the skydiving crash were also found to have taken cannabis prior to the flight.
Adventure tourism must learn from NZ crash:
"THE authors of a report criticising aviation regulators following a skydiving plane crash in New Zealand that killed nine people, including two Australians, in 2010 say there are lessons to be learned by all adventure tourism operators.
The modified topdressing plane, carrying four foreign tourists, four tandem jumpers and a pilot, had too much weight in the rear of the plane when it tried to take off on September 4, 2010, causing it to rise very sharply and at too low a speed to be controllable.
NZ Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) investigator Ian McClelland says the plane flew regularly with eight passengers, producing too much weight in the rear of the plane, and the owners and pilot were not checking weight and balance as they should be.
But he also says regulation of adventure aviation was not what it should be, that the modifications to the plane were poorly managed, and discrepancies in the modification documents weren't picked up by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) when it approved them.
"The CAA lost the opportunity to correct the company's errors," Mr McClelland said…" more here
British FCO advice to travellers about New Zealand (May 2011)
"There have been a number of tragic accidents involving British visitors; these also include extreme sporting accidents. If you intend to participate in extreme sports do check that the company is well established in the industry and that your insurance covers you. If you intend visiting remote areas, check with local tourist authorities for advice before setting out. Ensure that you register your details with a Visitor Information Centre or family or friends. Weather conditions can quickly become treacherous in some areas so keep yourself informed of regional weather forecasts."
Australian Advice to travellers about New Zealand (May 2011)
"Many tourists safely undertake adventure activities in New Zealand. However, many adventure tourism activities have inherent risks, and there have been a number of serious accidents involving Australians and other tourists, some resulting in deaths. Some operators have been found to be negligent. You should be aware that safety standards in New Zealand's adventure tourism industry may differ between individual operators and may differ from those in Australia.
Travellers need to make their own careful judgements about the risks involved in individual or group activities and of the safety standards of individual operators. We strongly recommend travellers inquire with individual operators about the safety standards adhered to, whether these standards are applied across the industry and the risks involved in the activity. We recommend travellers hold travel insurance and complementary accident or income protection insurance and understand what circumstances and activities are not covered by the policies."
facebook.com/nzsafety
"I am German and have been in NZ for the past 4-5 years. I completely support this site and strongly confirm these allegatons. NZ has no control or standards and has minimum professionalism or competence…public transport, mobile phone service, administration, hospitals, immigration, you name it…I had it all. NZ is beautiful but things simply do not work. Be careful and and maintain some healthy common sense 'cause you cannot expect it vice versa."
NZ Safety Expatexposed.com
NZ Safety
A"nother dent in NZ's undeserved international reputation! The word is getting out that New Zealand is a bit lax in the H&S area!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/n…objectid=10804653
http://www.facebook.com/nzsafety"
Blogs tagged 'Adventure Tourism deaths' and these posts:
Fox Glacier Aviation Disaster "New Zealand Unsafe" (May 2012)
Excitor III and Mac Attack Companies Fined for Broken Backs (May 2012)
Harness Failure Leaves Woman Dangling At Nevis Bungy Swing (May 2012)
Carterton Ballooning Tragedy, Urgent Checks Follow Air Worthiness Concerns (Feb 2012)
Emily Jordan: Riverboarding Death By Misadventure. Tell Clients The Truth About The Risks. Staff Panicked (May 2011)
Sarah Bond Quad Bike Death – Prosecution Brought (August 2009)
Thrillseekers Adventure Ltd Fined For Bungy Fall (May 2011)
Tom Donaldson Inquest – Coroners Says 'Warn Tourists' (Nov 2010)
Wellington Reverse Bungy Closed Amid Safety Fears (Dec 2010)
Tourists Seriously Injured In Bay Of Islands Boat Incidents (April 2011)
Catherine Peters: Alistair McWhannell Guilty Of Manslaughter In Swing Bridge Death (June 2010)
Fox Glacier Plane Crash, Nine Dead Including Four Tourists (Sept 2010)
Tourists Injured in Queenstown Jet Boat Crash, Another Died Swimming With Dolphins (Nov 2010)
Australian Tourist Seriously Injured By Dophin Boat (Dec 2010)
Tourists seriously injured in collision between Outward Bound cutter and a Dolphin Watch Ecotours (Feb 2011)
Six students and teacher drown in outward bound activity (May 2009)
August 13, 2012 in New Zealand. Tags: adrenaline sport, Adventure tourism, Adventure tourism deaths, Annika Kirsten, Brad Coker, Bradley Coker, British Tourists, CAA, Cannabis, Cannabis use, Cannabis use in New Zealand, Catherine Peters, Chris Coker, drugs, Drugs in New Zealand, Emily Jordan, Extreme sports deaths, facebook.com/nzsafety, Fox Glacier plane crash, Ian McClelland, methamphetamine, NZ not as safe as you think, Outdoor adventure in NZ, Sarah Bond, Skydive New Zealand, Skydive NZ, TAIC, Tom Donaldson
International Tourists Plead for Stiffer Rules in NZ's Tourism Sector
BBC Interview with family of Bradley Coker. Adventure Tourism must learn from NZ crash. Cannabis Use
Fox Glacier Helicopter Crash – 7 Dead Including 6 Overseas Tourists – updated
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2 thoughts on ""No Accountability in New Zealand" Fox Glacier Aviation Disaster"
BrianBoru says:
Adventure tourism drug testing too complex, says Ministry of Transport report
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/71957222/adventure-tourism-drug-testing-too-complex-says-ministry-of-transport-report
'Random drug-testing in the adventure tourism industry could be quietly shelved, despite being recommended in the wake of the Carterton balloon tragedy.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission's report into the 2012 Carterton balloon tragedy, which killed 11 people, recommended random drug testing of all adventure tourism operators. It came after balloon pilot Lance Hopping, among those killed, was found to have cannabis in his system before the doomed flight.
But heavily redacted briefings to then Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee, released under the Official Information Act, show officials thought rolling out random drug testing in the industry would be too complex.'
Tourists – Take you money elsewhere. Stay safe!!.
carpentaro says:
As is the case in soo many instances in NZ, the appearance of proprity is very important to NZers sence. Many of the mechinisms are in place, just ignored. And after all, it is just for appearances' sake that a lot of it done, not to actually do anything. "She'll be right".