Navy barge towed ashore after hitting rocks | Northland News | Local News in Northland

The Royal New Zealand Navy's VIP barge which struck rocks near Tutukaka was used to ferry the Queen around the Bay of Islands at the 1990 Waitangi Day celebrations.

The vessel hit submerged rocks between Rahomaumu Island and the mainland, just south of the harbour, before dawn and was ignominiously towed into the harbour by the stern, with the bow just under water.

Dive tender Manawanui lay offshore like a mother whale hoping to save her infant, stony-faced navy personnel pumped water from the vessel, and Tutukaka residents stood on the seawall speculating on how the classy little VIP mover had come to grief just around the corner from the harbour on a fine, calm morning.

It was on a group of well charted rocks that locals know well.

Navy spokeswoman Lt Cdr Angela Barker said yesterday the vessel looked to be "completely salvageable".

"Whether this can be done at Tutukaka or whether it gets patched and towed back to be repaired at the naval dockyards in Auckland has yet to be decided."

Two navy marine engineers were assessing the damage late yesterday afternoon.

The 32-year-old VIP barge and an accompanying large rigid-hulled inflatable had overnighted at the Tutukaka Marina after taking part in the 2012 Waitangi Day celebrations, leaving before dawn to continue the return voyage to Auckland.

A resident of Rahomaumu Rd said he had spotted two sets of navigation lights at the rocks "which didn't quite make sense", after getting up before dawn to go to work. "When it got lighter, I saw the inflatable pull the vessel off the rocks and start towing it back to Tutukaka harbour."

He said the area where the VIP barge came to grief was "a bit of a short-cut".

Locals often refer to it as the Ngunguru reef.

"Basically, there's a good channel through there but they obviously misunderstood it. If there's a swell and darkness it is not the most advisable course to take - and it was definitely dark when I saw the lights."

David Ryburn was also up early in his home on the hill above the marina and grabbed his binoculars when he saw three vessels moving through the centre of the harbour close together.

"I saw an inflatable towing a larger vessel from the stern and a 6m aluminium runabout assisting with the tow. I'm assuming the runabout was a local who had gone out to help."

He said he knew the reef well and would not recommend being there at high tide in the dark because the rocks were almost completely under water.

The crew of the holed vessel sent out an emergency call and then a mayday call, which was picked up by the 43m 911-tonne navy dive tender Manawanui, also travelling down the coast to Auckland following the celebrations.

Manawanui told international emergency channel 16 that it was only about 6km away and would head for Tutukaka. The VIP barge crew cancelled the mayday call after informing the operator that all four crew members were safely aboard the inflatable.

Northland Regional Council harbourmaster Capt Jim Lyall said the navy was keeping him informed of what was happening. "There's been no oil spillage, which obviously would be one of my concerns," he said.

Maritime New Zealand has begun a preliminary investigation of the incident and Lt Cdr Barker confirmed that the navy had begun a full investigation.

Lt Cdr Barker said Manawanui was continuing to stand by in case assistance was needed.