The Maritime Safety Authority (MSA) has welcomed the imposition of a jail term on a drunken yachtie. Anthony Henry Jones, 52, of Thames, was jailed for six months after he lost a passenger overboard on a boat trip across the Firth of Thames.
It was the first time a custodial sentence has been handed down for the charge, brought under the Maritime Safety Act.
Jones was sentenced in Thames District Court last week after earlier admitting a charge of operating a vessel causing unnecessary danger or risk to other people.
Judge Robert Wolfe sentenced him to six months' jail but let him apply for home detention.
MSA recreational boating adviser Jim Lott said the sentence recognised that abuse of alcohol while boating was not acceptable.
On January 28, Jones drank three cans of beer before taking friends Peter Makiri and Carl Daniela out on the boat Melissa Dawn, which he had been repairing.
The trio sailed to Kaiaua, on the western shore of the firth, and went to the pub there but staff would not serve Jones, who they said looked drunk.
They left the pub and continued drinking before Jones gave Mr Daniela the helm and told him to head for the lights of Thames.
About 10 minutes from Thames, the Melissa Dawn ran out of fuel and it was discovered Mr Makiri had fallen overboard.
Jones and Mr Daniela were rescued by a fishing boat but police were not alerted to Mr Makiri's disappearance until they reached shore.
A search was launched and Mr Makiri was found swimming in the water nine hours later.
- NZPA
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