The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has launched an inquiry into the tragic boating accident that left three men dead and one fighting for his life in Auckland's Manukau Harbour on Saturday.
Emergency services were notified around 4:40pm on Saturday that a boat with four people on board had overturned near the Manukau Heads bar.
Four people were found in the water but three of them passed away. Police say they were aged 54, 61 and 70.
The fourth person, 23, was flown to hospital and remains in a moderate condition in Auckland Hospital.
Harald Hendel, the chief investigator of accidents, is asking for any witnesses to come forward and help with the inquiry.
"The circumstances reported were that the boat capsized," Hendel says.
"We don't yet know what happened next, but we have heard that other boaties found three deceased persons in the water and, fortunately, rescued a fourth.
"Getting the facts straight is vital, so we're keen to hear as soon as possible from people who saw the accident or observed the boat at any time in its journey."
The Commission has appointed a dedicated investigation team to lead the inquiry, which is seeking any wreckage, securing electronic records - including photos, videos, and location data on people's cell phones - and also interviewing witnesses.
"The team's evidence collection work is broad at first to support the many routes that an investigation could follow. The initial focus is on gathering evidence that could disappear or change - not just flotsam and jetsam, but also memories while they're fresh in people's minds," Hendel says.
"We're interested in what people have to say, of course, particularly the survivor, but also what the families and friends of the crew knew about their plans for the trip."
