Whakatāne’s Cascade Charters Bandit victim shares account of near
A passenger on the 'Bandit' fishing charter recounts a near-capsizing incident at the Whakatāne bar in 2021. The skipper and company were previously sentenced for safety violations after the boat was struck by a wave, throwing passengers overboard.
Why it matters
The account underscores the critical importance of maritime safety regulations and the risks associated with navigating dangerous coastal bars.
The Bandit, operated by Cascade Charters, was hit by a wave, causing it to pitch and throw passengers overboard. Pictured on an unrelated fishing trip, and published on the company's Facebook page.
When a passenger on a fishing charter saw large waves crashing against the sea wall at the Whakatāne bar as they prepared to cross, he thought “this isn’t good”.
He told his mate, “bro, hold on”, before the boat nearly capsized and he saw passengers thrown overboard.
Cascade Charters Ltd and skipper Philip Magee were charged under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and were sentenced in the Tauranga District Court late last year.
While the passengers were granted name suppression, one told NZME he now wanted to share his story and what he recalls from the “life and death situation” in August 2021.
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