From 1News today:

Interislander ferry Aratere ran aground after a button was “inadvertently pressed”, sending the vessel off-course, according to an internal safety bulletin obtained by 1News.

According to the bulletin, dated July 5, the bridge crew had switched the Aratere from hand steering to autopilot as it passed Mabel Island when an “execute button was inadvertently pressed” at 9.26pm.

This led the vessel to “commence an alteration of course” by around 1 nautical mile earlier than planned.

The bridge team attempted to switch back to hand steering mode but was unable to override the autopilot in time.

Hewlett denied New Zealand First’s query as to whether the Aratere ran aground after someone onboard the vessel “put the autopilot on, went for a coffee, and then couldn’t turn the autopilot off” when they returned.

“While the cause of the grounding is yet to be formally determined, Maritime NZ’s preliminary enquiries have found that the incident was not due to a crew member leaving the bridge to make a coffee,” she said.

_{https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/07/10/aratere-ran-aground-after-a-button-was-inadvertently-pressed/}

There was only one crew member on the bridge of a large ferry?

Surely the Transport Minister must be door-stepped by media? Not in New Zealand