Guild leader on Aratere grounding cause

Leaked documents about the Cook Strait ferry grounding show a crew member accidently triggered the auto pilot onto the wrong course before it crashed into the shore. An internal safety bulletin says pressing the execute button caused the ship to change its heading - meaning instead of carrying on straight out of Picton harbour - it turned right, about a nautical mile too early. The Merchant Service Guild represents the master and deck officers on board the Aratere, its vice president Iain MacLeod spoke to Charlotte Cook.