Transport

Kaitaki returns to Cook Strait - is the ship safe?

09:05 am on 3 February 2023

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Six days after losing power in Cook Strait and drifting close to rocks on Wellington's south coast - the Interislander ferry, Kaitaki has just returned to service, but carrying freight only for the next two weeks.

The cause of last Saturday's power cut was a fault in the ship's engine cooling system caused by a leaky connection. 864 people were on board.

Interislander Executive General Manager Walter Rushbrook says only after further performance and assurance checks will Kaitaki resume taking passengers.

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